The Man Behind the Red Mask
by Chrys Stone
Summary: Lucy gets an invitation that most people would kill for, and it leads to an unexpected encounter. Suddenly she finds herself obsessed with the mystery of just why Rufus wears that damn mask all the time. Will she get a chance to find out, or will Yukino's warning scare her off? She'll get her answer sooner than she thinks, and maybe something else she hadn't counted on.
1. Chance encounter

**This is a nice little Smut fic for my readers who have been good this past year, pairing Rufus/Lucy. **

**It is spicy, so be prepared ::Rated M for good reason.:: **

**As always my name is Chrys Stone, not Hiro Mashima, so obviously I don't own Fairy Tail. At present this is only a one shot... it might be up for debate if a bunch of people enjoy it and want more. We shall see.**

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><p>Lucy sighed as she slipped into a chair next to her very good friend, Levy. Said blue haired woman looked up from her book with an eyebrow raised in a silent question. Lucy placed an envelope on the bar top, the red wax seal smiling up at both of them. Levy's eyes grew wider as she recognized the symbol, and she looked back at the blonde with even more curiosity than before.<p>

"Well, open it already." The cheerful voice of Mira-jane came from the other side of the counter as she set a nice cup of hot camomile tea and a small bottle of honey in front of the blonde woman. Lucy realized then that Mira wasn't the only one who had caught sight of the exchange, and she sighed heavily again. Erza (who suddenly materialized out of no where) offered a dagger as a substitute letter opener, which Lucy thanks her for while she broke the seal. She clear her throat and began to read it card out loud (due to the heated glared of her closest female friends).

"Miss Lucy Heartfilia is cordially invited to the Twenty First Birthday of her Majesty, Princess Hisui E. Fiore." Lucy felt the bottom drop out of her stomach, she was going to keep the rest of the note to herself, because she knew it was going to start a fight. The last thing she needed was another scuffle breaking out this early in the day.

"That is amazing!" Levy practically sparkled with excitement. "You are so lucky, royal events are usually restricted to nobility."

"Lucy-san and the Princess became very good friends after all the craziness that happened during the dragon invasion." Wendy gave Lucy a bright smile taking occupancy in the vacant seat next to Levy. "I'm not surprised she got invited to her birthday party at all."

"When is it?" Levy's excitement was on the brink of containment, and if the blonde made her wait much longer it was rather possible that she would explode.

"July the seventh." Lucy watched as several sets of eyes focused on her. She didn't even need to turn around to know that she had gotten the attention of one pink haired best friend who was already moving in her direction. "Isn't that funny, Hisui and I were born in the same week just several years apart?" She let out a nervous laugh to try and avoid her growing discomfort.

"That's right, you're birthday is July first." Natsu slung his arm around the blonde's shoulders with a bright smile, snatching the invitation with his other hand. He read it over and flipped it so he could read the back, his smile morphing into a wicked grin. "So who are you taking with you?" Leave it to her best friend to make matter worse.

"I was thinking of going alone actually." The Celestial mage shrugged the arm off her shoulders and started mixing the honey into the tea that Mira had supplied.

"Won't it be hard to dance by yourself?" Natsu leaned heavily on the bar, his wicked grin spreading, a spark of mischief igniting fire in his dark green eyes. "I mean I don't care if you look like a weirdo, but all those fancy pants rich people might."

"I hate you sometime, you know that right?" Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose with a deep sigh. "I'm not taking a date, end of story." She would rather bite off her own tongue then stepped into that trap.

"I don't think you should go alone." Mira added helpfully as she took the card from Natsu's hand. A quick glance told her what had Lucy so on edge. "It looks like Natsu is invited as well, since he is the only boy I know of who has pink hair." Lucy flushed crimson and snatched the card back. She didn't want anyone of her friends to come along, they always ended up destroying something, and this was a really big event. The damage could be catastrophic if she couldn't keep the boy entertained long enough.

"Is that so? I guess I'm coming with you then." The sense of self satisfaction in his voice made Lucy want to scream.

"I'm allowed four companions, and Hisui has asked that Natsu count as one." Lucy pinch the bridge of her nose, again, when a squeal sounded from all around her.

"Who will you be taking?" Mira was sparkling with excitement just as brightly as Levy had been before the little blue haired woman had fainted, falling off her chair in the process.

"Three people who can keep Natsu from ruining the whole palace." Lucy took a deep breath and went through a mental check list. "Right, Erza, and Juvia are the best choices, and one more." Lucy turned and looked around the hall before spotting the Thunder Legion on the second floor. _Perfect_. She broke away from her friends and raced up the stairs, stopping a foot away from the four mages who were observing her like she was a strange bug.

"Lucy, right? What do you need?" Freed raised an eye brow at the blonde, unsure of what to make of her presence.

"Evergreen, may I ask a favor?" Lucy rushed over and grabbed the older woman's hands, her eyes shining with determination, or was that desperation?

"Wh-what do you want?" Evergreen flushed under the gaze of the younger woman.

"Come with me to the Princess's birthday party, please!" There was a distinct groan of disapproval from the lower level.

"Shouldn't you be asking a guy, Cosplayer?" Lucy shot the helmeted man a glare before turning back to Evergreen.

"It'll be lots of fun, please!" The brunette pulled her hands back, and snapped open her fan to hide behind.

"I guess it would be improper for the Fairy Queen to turn down such an earnest request. When is it?" Lucy let out a cheer. If Natsu got out of line, even once, Evergreen could just turn him to stone.

"July the seventh, is that enough time to get a dress?" Evergreen nodded, and shooed the blonde away. She raced back down the stairs with a bright smile, stopping right in front of her pink haired friend. "If. you. break. anything. I. will. end. you." She punctuated each word with a jab to his toned chest.

The next two weeks on Lucy Heartfilia's life were spent defending her choice of companions and the blonde found herself going on job after job just to escape the persecution. July seventh came faster than she had ever thought possible, and with one last round of complaints the group left for the capitol city. Natsu was excited that the train didn't run to Crocus (what with the mountain range in between the Capitol and Magnolia) but his victory was short lived when Erza delivered a swift punch to his gut before throwing him in the back of an SE vehicle that Lucy had the foresight to rent.

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><p>Yukino pinched the bridge of her nose, and took a deep settling breath as she walked up the cobbled streets of Crocus. She had no idea how she had gotten herself into the current predicament, but she knew she needed to find a way out of it.<p>

"Why are you even here?" She asked slowly to the tall blonde haired Master of the Sabertooth guild who casually had his arm thrown over her shoulders.

"You said that your Celestial Mage friend would be at this party, right? She doesn't go anywhere without Natsu-san, so it makes sense that he'll be there too." She sighed, and turned to the second of her tag-a-longs.

"And you, why are you here?" The dark haired man shrugged his shoulders, not bothering to avert his gaze from the road ahead.

"If Natsu-san is here, maybe Gajeel is as well." Yukino groaned and posed the same question to the two following behind.

"Free food?" Orga answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I've come to make sure our Master doesn't start a fight with Natsu." Rufus replied with a smile. "It would be in poor taste to brawl in the middle of the Princess's party."

"At least you have the proper intentions." She sighed for the umpteenth time, pulling the invitation out of her purse to show to the guard at the palace gates. "Please be on your best behavior guys, I really want to spend some time with Lucy-sama."

The five Sabertooth mages walked up the pathway in the dim evening light, in near silence after that. Sting of course mumbled under his breath about Rufus being a conceded ass hole for making him look uncool again, did that guy have no respect for his guild master?

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><p>Lucy wanted nothing more than to go right back to Magnolia at the moment, and hide in a deep dark hole, waiting for death to come. Natsu was the worst kind of pig, and was currently challenging the buffet table to a duel. He was making a fool of himself, and she made it a point to put some distance between them.<p>

_I do not know that lunatic, I do not know that lunatic. _She repeated silently as she made her way to a shadowed area at the back of the hall, as far from the spectacle Natsu was creating as she could get. Lucy let herself drop into a chair with a deep sigh, as she played with the soft blue fabric of her evening gown, and sipped on the glass of wine that she had managed to swipe from a passing waiter's tray to replace her empty one.

"Hiding isn't proper party etiquette." The blonde woman jumped, spilling a small amount of the clear liquid onto her chest. "I didn't mean to scare you." He handed her a handkerchief with an apologetic smile. Lucy took the offered bit of cloth with a whispered thanks, mopping up the wine that had trail down her breast bone.

"I'm not really hiding, I just don't want to be around when Erza finally puts Natsu out of his misery." Lucy returned the smile now that she was dry and handed the cloth back. He set it on the table as he took a seat next to her. He offered a small laugh at her confession, as he rested his elbows on the table, propping his chin atop his laced fingers.

"So, Master Sting was correct in assuming that the boy would be where ever you are." Lucy sighed, again.

"If Princess Hisui had not specifically asked for Natsu to come along I would have made my best effort to attend without him." She folded her arms over her chest, a low growl made it into her voice as she spoke, making it perfectly clear that she did not want to talk about it any more.

"Our little flower was hoping to spend some time with you, would you mind if I lead her over here so I don't reveal your hiding place?" Lucy would have argued under normal circumstances that she had already told him she wasn't hiding, but she had better things to do than to pick a fight with one of Sabertooth's top mages.

"That's fine." Lucy gave a tired smile as she went back to sipping her wine.

A few minutes passed in peaceful bliss, and Lucy let herself enjoy the music floating from the dance floor. Her eyes slide closed as she imagined dancing with a handsome stranger who would whisper sweet things in her ear. Lucy was never the romantic sort, in fact she was a self professed tom-boy, hell bent on living life to the fullest. Who had time for things like dates and other mushy feely stuff when taking on the world one job request at a time? Even if that was the case, she was still a woman, and settings like this made it difficult not to feel the itch that she always denied herself.

Lucy didn't need a man to make her life complete, not when she had a guild full of the craziest, sweetest and most perverted ones she had ever had the pleasure (sometimes displeasure) of knowing. She was fulfilled in the emotional department to the point of over flowing, but on nights like these, (where she was working on her fifth glass of wine and the smell of mingling bodies hung heavily in the air) she let herself wonder what it would be like to be swept off her feet, and charmed into a man's bed.

Lucy began laughing at her own imagination, opening her eyes to see her light haired comrade chatting to her three companions as they headed in her direction. A moment of vicious jealousy struck the woman as she observed them. All of her companions were extremely attractive men (Orga was over fighting the food battle along side Natsu) and the blonde woman allowed herself a moment to just appreciate the look of them. Personalities aside, since she had never truly had a chance to get to know anyone other than Yukino herself, each of them was devastatingly handsome. Unlike the men that Lucy often associated with.

Fairy Tail was known for their beautiful woman more than the hand full of good looking guys. It wasn't like Lucy hadn't tried to envision something more; she could never seem to get past their oddities and little quirks long enough to imagine them as anything but her wild and crazy family. The men of Sabertooth however, were a completely different story. She could fantasize about them from sun up till sundown. It wasn't enough to completely satisfy her, but it was better than nothing.

"Lucy-sama, you look absolutely wonderful tonight!" The light haired woman rushed the last few feet to grab the other woman's hands with her own.

"The same goes for you, Yukino. That dress is fabulous." Lucy got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around her friend in a warm embrace. The two women gracefully lowed themselves into their seats, once Lucy pulled back.

"Why are you all the way back here? Shouldn't you be dance with Natsu-san?" Lucy letting out an unladylike squawk at the question.

"As if! Natsu is with his true love, the buffet table. So long as the servants keep bringing more food out, you'll never get him away from there." Yukino joined in the laughter as Lucy continued. "Plus we learned a while ago that dancing makes his motion sickness act up. He's hopeless, completely and utterly hopeless."

"It must be hard to date someone like him." Yukino added with a sympathetic smile, unfortunately for Lucy she had just taken a drink of her wine, and ended up choking.

"Wh-who ever said I would date that fire breathing idiot?" She coughed, trying to regain her senses. "He's doesn't have the mental fortitude to understand what that is, no matter how awesome he can get during a fight. He is a child at heart and will always be one."

"Sorry, I just assumed since you two are always together." Yukino played with her finger tips trying to avoiding the blonde woman's gaze.

"No, no I understand. You aren't the first person to make that assumption, no matter how off base it is. It isn't like that, he's more like a duck following the person who willingly feeds him." Lucy finished the last of her drink with a soft sigh. "Before you ask, because I can see the wheels working in that brain of yours, the answer is no."

"How do you know what I was going to ask, it could be something completely different!" The light haired woman puffed her cheeks out and folded her arms over her silver gown.

"I'm good at reading people, it a curse really. I am dead serious I am in no way involved with ANY of the maniacs in my guild. I've managed to preserve my sanity this long by staying far away from that little predicament." Yukino couldn't hold back her laughter as her eyes went wide, Lucy shook her head in disapproval.

"You are right, that was my question! I can see your point too, I mean what if you started seeing someone and it ends badly? What would you do, ignore each other? Or would the guild become a battle field?" Her eyes were wide as she swung her arms around in a dramatic fashion.

"Our guild already is a battle field, it starts around nine in the morning, until about ten at night. They break for breakfast, lunch and dinner; children need their routines you know." Lucy let herself laugh at her own comment, before flagging down a waiter with a tray full of fresh wine glasses. She was amused when he thought that he was going to walk away with the tray, Lucy promptly relieved him of it with an angelic smile that had him stuttering before he ran off to get a new tray.

"So we saw Erza and Natsu, who else did you bring tonight?" Yukino took one of the glasses, much to Lucy's dismay. She had fully intended to act like Cana if only for a little while, and indulge till she could no longer feel the nose on her own face. It was rare for her to drink in such abundance, but the mortification of having to explain Natsu's behavior was a worthy cause.

"Evergreen and Juvia, for obvious reasons." Lucy started on glass number six, trying to ignore the questioning gaze of her female friend. When Yukino's glare only intensified Lucy relented. "Let me spell it out for you since you don't seem to understand. Natsu likes to burn things for his own amusement. This includes, but is not limited to, tables, chairs, people's heads, my outfits, and/or anything he finds himself wondering 'How long will this burn?'. Juvia is here to put out any such fires, and if he gets on my nerves I have Evergreen to turn him to stone. He absolutely can't cause damage if he is a statue."

"He sounds like a handful." Lucy turned to Rufus with an exasperated sigh.

"You don't know the half of it. That boy has a death wish, and one of these days I'll grant it for him." Moving on to glass number seven.

"Maybe I'll just kidnap you for a while, give you a little break." Yukino offered with a mischievous grin before reaching for another glass herself.

"Bad idea, he destroys things when I try to leave him behind." Lucy took a deep breath, plastering the smile back onto her face. "Enough about my idiot of a partner, I want to hear how you've been. It's been too long since the last time I saw you."

"Not much to report I'm afraid." Yukino lightly shrugged her shoulders. "I've been working, and... nope just working." Lucy nodded, her finger tapping her chin.

"You work solo don't you? I'm so jealous, you probably never get a reward reduced due to property damage." Yukino let out a startled laugh.

"I wasn't even aware something like that can happen." Lucy gave a sheepish look to her friend.

"When you work with three power houses that don't know how to restrain themselves... yeah, it happens a lot." By this point Lucy's complexion had taken on a rosy hue. She reached forward taking glass number eight.

"I remember back in the day, you guys littered Sorcerer Weekly articles with reports of damages totaling in the hundreds of thousands at one time." Sting decided to add.

"How is it that you and Mr. Doom and Gloom over there don't cause half as much damage as my fire and ice combo?" Lucy crossed her arms under her chest, tapping a foot on the floor. "Is there a trick to keeping them in line Yukino, you need to tell me, please!"

"Doom and Gloom?" Rogue asked with a raised eye brow as Sting laughed hysterically pointing at his dark haired friend.

"I don't have any say in what these two do." Yukino waved her hands in dismissal. "If I did they wouldn't be here." Lucy reached for a new glass, and was displeased to find them all empty.

"It took several years of training, and the fear of our last Master's wrath to keep damage to a minimum." Rufus answered in Yukino's place, he had already flagged down a waiter, and instructed that the man bring them several bottles this time around.

"Damn, it won't work then." Lucy laughed again feeling lighter as the anger slipped away.

It was only a few minutes before the waiter came back with a tray of fresh wine glasses, accompanied by another waiter who was holding two bottles of a red wine (Rufus had requested them specifically because the white wine was sub par). He thanked them both, and Lucy noticed that he slipped the man a tip rather discreetly. They proceeded to toast to Rogue (officially dubbing him as Mr. Doom and Gloom) and to good health before dissolving back into pockets of conversation about jobs that they had completed in the recent past.

Five bottles later, Lucy found herself unable to keep her thoughts to herself, as she looked around the table.

"Yuki-chan is so lucky." She whined leaning heavily on the girl's shoulder. "You are surrounded by delicious goodies all the time." Yukino was so drunk by this point that she grabbed Lucy's face in both her hands to keep her friend from splitting into separating entities.

"Luuuuuuuuuucy-sama, are you jealous of meeeeeeeeeee?" She teased lightly.

"Share you're stash of yummy treats with me, and I won't be anymore." Lucy shot a glance over the other woman's shoulder to examine Yukino's "goodies" and noticed that both Sting and Rogue had passed out on the table. She turned her head as far as Yukino's grasp would allow to the other side, amusement filling her as Rufus just smiled back.

"Luuuuuuuuuuucy-sama, I don't want to share." Yukino released Lucy's face, as she grabbed the last bottle of wine she could reach, cradling it against her ample chest.

"You." Lucy pointed a finger at the only conscious man at the table with a serious expression on her face. "What is the deal with the mask?"

"No, Lucy-sama don't ask about the mask!" Yukino squeaked "Anything but. the. mask." She was then forced into a fit of giggles so strong she fell over onto the floor.

"Forget the mask, how are you still sober?" Lucy leaned over, trying to find any trace that the blonde man was even remotely feeling the effects of what he had consumed. She stopped only a few inches from his face, and she could smell the wine drifting in the space between them. She couldn't tell if it was coming from him or herself.

"Practice my dear, years of practice." His grin was devastating, and Lucy found herself wanting to see how much it affected the rest of his face.

"The mask, take it off." She demanded, pulling herself up to her full height. "I want to talk to you properly." Her hand darted out one finger hooking the bottom portion of the fabric. It was as far as she could get, Rufus's hand had come up to stop her movements, his long gloved fingers wrapped around her wrist. He made a sound of disapproval, and then the grin was back.

"This does not affect my ability to have a proper conversation, I can assure you of that much." Lucy pouted, but Rufus didn't seem to be fazed by it in the slightest.

"I don't doubt your ability to carry a proper conversation, it's that I want to see your face."

"Not the mask Lucy-sama! Never, never **never**! The horror, oh the horror!" Yukino cried from the floor. The curiosity was killing the blonde woman, and she tried to free her hand so that she could remove the object that was obscuring her view of his features.

"Please?" She went limp after two minutes of constant fighting against his firm grasp. "Just a peek."

"How about this, if you are able to dance with me for more than one song I will let you remove the mask, if that is still your wish." Lucy gave no further thought to the subject; she had become obsessed with finding out just he was hiding behind that small piece of cloth.

"You have a deal." Lucy smiled brightly, and got to her feet. Determination filled her veins with adrenaline as she allowed herself to be lead back to the front of the ball room. She passed a very plump Natsu, who looked like he was in heaven while shoveling a full pie into his mouth; Erza was yelling at the boy to show some form of manners. Juvia wasn't far from the pair trying her best to tell the man she was talking to that Gray-sama was and would always be her only love. Just before they reached the floor they passed Evergreen who was enjoying the attention of her suitors. Lucy made note of their positions, but her focus was solely on the prize that was offered at the end of her little wager.

The walk was just long enough for Lucy to get her feet in order, and the lessons that had been drilled into her as a girl came back to the surface. Rufus was not going to win this, Lucy could waltz in her sleep if given the opportunity to do so. Lazily she took her position in his arms and waited for his first movement. He had picked the wrong challenge for a woman who was once the heiress of the richest family in the country, and within the first few steps Rufus seemed to have realized his error. Lucy was more graceful on the floor than half the others women he had ever danced with, even with the ungodly amount of wine she had consumed.

The sight of the two cleared the dance floor (at the Princess's command) leaving the two blondes to twirl around the open space in time to the music. Lucy would have had a satisfied smirk if she wasn't falling into old habits, her face was a mask of politeness, with a shy smile and eyes focused as she timed her steps. If Rufus wasn't careful she might even take the lead as they spun, he was more than excited by the challenge.

It became a battle between the two, drawling the attention of several guest that commented on the show.

"Sabertooth and Fairy Tail have to make a competition out of everything don't they?" A tall man huffed crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"I would prefer this to having my whole town destroy." A young woman placed her hand on the man's arm comfortingly. "At least it looks like they are having fun."

The battle continued for three lengthy songs, and Lucy was beginning to feel the effects of her alcoholic haze starting to break. The battle would have continued longer, she was sure, if it wasn't for the Princess rushing up to her at the end of the third song.

"Lucy Heartfilia, what a wonderful Birthday Present indeed!" She clapped her hands merrily, her cheeks red with excitement, and of course, wine. "You are as radiant as ever." She reached forward and grabbed her friend and began to twirl her around the floor in Rufus's place.

"You flatter me, Princess." Lucy giggled along with her friend. "I am glad you are enjoying your birthday, that gown is absolutely stunning." The musicians were instructed to play something up beat, and the two women began to dance happily, as the floor filled with the Princess's guests again. After a while Lucy excused herself to find the rest room; she freshened her lipstick, and checked her mascara before heading back to join the party again. The music was drown out in the corridors of the castle, leaving Lucy time to examine her thoughts if she chose to, which she did not. The high of the night was to pleasant for allowing introversion to spoil it.

She started to hum a little tune as she moved along the hall, but stopped abruptly when she came face to face with Rufus once more. A thrill went through her as she remembered their 'wager' and she moved with purpose to stand in front of him. She stopped about half a foot away, so that she could reach out and touch him with ease.

"Do you still wish to remove my mask?" Lucy nodded, her throat too dry for speech. Rufus locked his hands behind his back, and told Lucy that he was ready whenever she was. She hesitated, examining his face for any signs of resistance, and only moved forward when she was satisfied that he wouldn't stop her this time.

Slowly she reached across the small distance between them, and first removed his hat, placing it on a nearby table that held fresh flowers in a decorative vase. Two long strands of his blonde hair fell down to cascade over his high cheek bones. Lucy took a moment to push them behind his ears (her stomach rolling with anxiety as his eyes slide shut) before reaching up to remove the small bit of sturdy fabric. She half expected there to be a large scar, or an awful mole hidden underneath, but she found neither. There wasn't a blemish in sight, only flawless skin stained with the faintest shades of pink just under his closed eyes. It was as if a romance novelist had brought one of their favorite noble heroes to life, and Lucy was just a lucky bystander to get to see the beauty that he/she had created. She placed the mask on the table with his hat, and took a long look over his face, noting the long yet fair lashes that framed dark green eyes, wait were they always that shade? Her breath caught in her throat when she realized that he had opened his eyes, and was watching her with an intensity that she had never felt before.

Lucy gave him a shy smile, reaching up to run her fingers around the outline of where the mask had been, and blushed as he leaned into the touch.

"I don't understand, why do you were it if there is nothing to hide?" The words were completely unbidden, but there was no taking them back at this point. "You are perfect."

The next few second made Yukino's warning a hell of a lot more clear. In a flash of movement Rufus had pulled her along with him into a small alcove where they wouldn't be seen. His hands trailed up the line of her jaw, tucking a loose strand behind her ear the same as she had done. She wanted to ask what was going on, why he was suddenly so silent, but before she could bat an eye lash he was already baring down on her. His warm breath fanned over her face just before he captured her lips with his own. Shock kept Lucy from responding immediately, but a when she felt his hands move to the back of her neck, she reciprocated.

Her hands went from being limp at her sides to buried wrist deep in his flowing hair, pulling him in deeper as her long ignored hunger flared. She forced him back an inch in her eager pursuit of something she couldn't name. In response she was lifted, and pressed with her back against the cold stone wall; the bottom of her gown road up around the swells of her thighs as she wrapped them around his waist. His hand slide up and down her sides, as if testing for a weak spot in the fabric of her evening gown, he found none. The kiss grew violent in the fever of her need, and she allowed his tongue to invade her mouth when she felt the faints hint of it running along her bottom lip. He tasted of wine, the sweet delicious red wine that she now knew was his drink of choice. He broke away, trailing steaming hot kisses down the line of her neck, nibbling and suckling as he neared the tops of her shoulders.

When his tongue darted out to trace the line of her collar bone to the center of her chest Lucy let out a gasp, followed by a soft moan as his mouth came back to hers. When the kiss broke again she took her time kissing up the line of his jaw to his ear, and bit down gently. "I don't know where this came from, but I like it." She whispered, her voice steeped in the same lust that was filling his deep green orbs. She expected to see surprise cross through them, but instead she saw pride. "Show me more."

She could feel his response throbbing against her, there was no need to exchange words to know he understood her demand. Suddenly she felt like they were both wearing to much clothing, and she shifted wondering if she could get in and out of her dress with out anyone realizing that she had done so. She hadn't expected the small move to take her need to a new level, as it pulled a soft groan from the man she was wrapped around. The sound was addictive, so she tested it again, rolling her hips forward so that the bulge brushed against her sensitive nerves once more. The smile she found so devastatingly handsome with the mask on took on a cruel feel as he growled low in his throat; his handed slide over her round back side and pulled her hips forward again. Lucy's brain shut off as her eyes slide closed, and he repeated the action again, pulling her off the wall just a little so he could get a better grasp. She bit her bottom lip as he allowed her a moment to catch her breath, before starting all over again. His hips bucked against hers as his mouth trailed over her sensitive neck once more. He groaned next to her ear, and the desire to satisfy her ever growing wanton desires took over.

Her hands released their hold, untangling from his hair to move down the lines of his arms and across his mid section. If she was in her right mind she would have suggested they find somewhere where it would be more difficult to be seen, but this particular side of the Celestial mage was thrilled at the fact that someone might walk down the hall at any moment. It added to the excitement of his hot kiss and lust filled hands. Rufus momentarily set her on the ground so that she could work more effectively as she fumbled with the buckle on his belt. She cursed under her breath several times before it finally came undone, and let out a small cheer when the pants finally gave way.

His gloves were quickly discarded along with his jacket, the pants however stayed pooled around his ankles where it would be easy to replace them. Lucy realized at that point that this wasn't going to be a drawn out process, he fully intended to jump right into the fire.

Rufus let out a small laugh at the sudden look of excited anxiety that filled the woman's chocolate brown eyes; he was past the point where they could find a place that was more private, where they could both scream and moan to their hearts content. He didn't really even care at the moment, she was beautiful and willing, her mouth coated in his favorite wine, and her breasts heaving with how breathless his touch was making her. The devil himself could have shown up and it wouldn't have stopped him from removing the small lace barrier before lifting her back up against the wall once more.

Lucy took a moment to unhook her key pouch from her garter, and lightly tossed it to the floor, knowing that the tell tale jingle of her keys in side might alert someone to their presence before she could get what she was after. Aquarius would understand, it wasn't really dropping them anyway.

His mouth covered her's again as he let his bare flesh mold against her moist skin. He would have relished making her scream his name, but he was still some what sensible enough to know that it was not a good idea. Rufus was in the mood to be a selfish bastard, and keep the small gasps and moans she was making all to himself. His tongue darted into her mouth once more, as he pushed forward, his erection planting as deeply as he could manage. Her small scream was muffled enough that they wouldn't draw attention to themselves, and he was satisfied that no one would be coming to see if she was hurt. The feeling of Lucy's warm soft insides was something he wanted to take his time to enjoy, at his own pace. The rest of the world be damned.

Lucy worked her hands around his back this time knotting them into the back of his shirt for extra support. She never imagined that the man who had looked so poised and regal in every interaction they had would be capable of such wild abandon. They were in a side hall in the royal palace, **during a party,** getting hot and heavy as if it was something he did all the time. It should have bothered her, but as he started to pull back she could no longer bring herself to care.

Once he was sure that she could stay quiet on her own Rufus let his mouth roam freely again. He began exploring and tasting every inch of exposed skin that he could reach, before shifting her weight to a different position so he could start the process over again. Her skin was smooth and nearly unmarked save for a few small scars that told of her countless fights, and hard won victories. She was a fighter, and yet she submitted without complaint to his every whim, the thought stroked his ego, spurring him to pick up his pace. He adjusted his grip so that his thumbs were locked into her hips, his fingers digging into the tender flesh of her lower cheeks.

Lucy was far beyond breathless as he pulled her hips down to meet every thrust; she had to fight the screams back as he buried himself deeper and deeper. She would have loved to pick up the pace, with the growing urgency in her gut demanding release, but his grip was like a vice controlling everything from the angle to the force with which their skin smacked against one another.

As his pace grew more reckless, Lucy wondered why it was that she denied herself this pleasure for so long. The burning was incredible, as it took over every other sense she had. Every time his buried himself fully it sent out a new wave from her pelvic floor shooting across her whole being in white hot lightning strikes. She cradled her head against his neck trying desperately to keep her volume under control as it happened over and over.

Lucy's soft mewls and whimpering of unfilled needs made him slow his pace for a minute, waiting for permission to continue. Two little words was all he needed.

She couldn't contain herself much longer, she wanted more, needed more.

"Don't stop, dear god please don't stop."

The speed of his thrusts increased again, driving him in even deeper than before. She bit back a moan as he hit a sensitive spot that she hadn't even dreamed existed. His mouth took turns between heatedly kissing her mouth and devouring every inch of flesh that wasn't covered by her evening gown.

Rufus was getting closer by the second, so he gently slow, and turned her around so that her hands were against the wall bending her forward. It was so much easier to get a good grip on her full hips as he pushed her dress up around her stomach and back. The sweet moan as he entered her again was nearly his undoing, but he held back wanting to hear more of it, more of her. He let a low hiss out as he felt her walls start to tighten, and knew he needed to hold back just a little longer.

"Almost." She panted. "Don't stop yet, Rufus."

Spasms of pleasure rocked her, as he let out a broken groan that sounded almost like her name. The pressure was at it's maximum and she knew she was already at the top of the cliff inches from the edge, and form the sounds of his ever growing grunts and low growls so was he. Feeling brave she let out one last drawn out moan.

"Rufus, come for me." In the heat of the moment it felt like the right thing to say, even if she knew someone might be able to hear since she hadn't allowed herself to muffle the command.

"Lucy." It was the first time he had spoken, and the sound of his lust thick voice calling to her sent her over the edge, and she started the free fall back to Earthland. He was right behind, letting out as hiss as his body shook with quick and violent thrusts she could feel him pulsate and then heat bloomed inside. They both stood for a miniute, chest heaving and heart racing before they broke apart. Rufus immediately, fixed himseld and handing her the lace panties and key pouch with a lecherous grin. He leaned in next to her ear and whispered. "Next time you decide you want to take my mask off make it some where more conducive for play time."

He pulled back and spun to collect his other items, leaving Lucy to catch her breath again. Soon she could feel the after math of both their releases on her inner thighs, and she hurried to the bathroom to fix herself up.

She dabbed her sweat soaked skin and cleaned the last of the proof of her indiscretion away, replacing her undergarment only when she was dry once more. A long glance in the mirror showed her swollen lips and tiny red marks around her neck and the tops of her breasts. The smeared lipstick was an easy fix, but she was sure to get questions about the marks. She took a deep breath, knowing that she would have a lot of explaining to do when she found her friends again, and made her way back into the hall. To her amusement Rufus was standing there with his hat and mask back in place, along with a knowing smile. Lucy took a moment to just stand there and let it all sink in. The smile on his face was some how softer, his green eyes almost two shades lighter.

He was still just as perfect though.

"Does that happen every time you take the mask off?" She tilted her head to the side, with a wicked smile. "If it does I may have to make it my goal in life to convince you to get rid of it altogether." The blonde woman walked past the tall man, a gleam of challenge in her eyes.

"I think that might be an interesting change of pace." Rufus laughed lightly as he caught up to her. "You should probably consider a different location though, I can't guarantee comfort when I'm like that."

"I will keep that in mind the next time we cross paths. Good night Rufus." Lucy didn't wait for a reply as she entered the hall again, her hips swaying with feminine pride.

The Sabertooth mage watched as he leaned heavily against the wall, amusement dancing in his soft green eyes. To think, he had only tagged along to keep Sting from starting a war in his spare time. Never in a million years did he dream that he could ever have a chance with the blonde bomb shell who was the resident sweet heart of Fairy Tail. He may not have had a full recollection of what happens when his mask is removed, but from the way her swollen and bruised lips look along with the slick feeling still coating his manhood, it was clear that he did in fact stand a very good chance. Rufus decided that he would need to come up with a reason to visit Magnolia, the more often the better.


	2. Author's Note

**I just wanted to let the badasses that said they like my story idea know that there will be more! **

**I am currently working on the next chapter. Updates will still be Wednesday for both this and 'I Never Should have Fallen!'**

**Feel free to pm me if you have suggestions or concerns, I like a good conversation to get the words flowing on the page. **

**Until Wednesday,**

**Chrys Stone **


	3. Bruises don't lie

**Chapter 2, just as I promised. Thank you for the support!  
><strong>

**::The Supreme Leader of the Crack Fiction Liberation Army:: **

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><p>Yukino sat on the lounge chair sipping lemonade as she watched the three men have a heated conversation. Long ago, she had learned that it was best to keep her distance when it came to things like guy talk; Sting had always liked to share all his personal escapades in far too much detail for her taste. Even without truly listening she knew the topic of conversation was the party that they had attended the night before. The two dragon slayers wanted to know exactly what had happened after they both passed out.<p>

Her memory was a little hazy after a certain point, but she was almost certain that her good friend Lucy had demanded that Rufus remove his mask. Even in her inebriated state Yukino's mind had screamed that Lucy was to never ever remove his mask, for any reason, **ever**. She tried to vocalize her concern, but was unsure of whether her warning had reached her blonde friend. She hoped so, Rufus was unpredictable when the small barrier was removed.

She didn't even want to think about the last time it had happened, but the memory washed over her anyway.

_The training grounds were the perfect place to admire her guild mates without raising any questions, so she frequently found herself there training along side them. It was much like any other day, Sting and Rogue were trading attacks blow for blow (working on their damage tolerance for the next time they attempted to challenge the men who had been their childhood idols). Rufus was assisting, of course, since he could use such diverse attacks on more than a single target at a time. She admired them from a distance as she and Libra worked on an attack sequence of their own with Dobengal. _

_A brilliant flash signaled that everyone needed to hit the deck as Sting stepped up his attacks to the next level, followed by the surge of energy that came from Rogue's answer to his partner's efforts. ___The hot summer sun had forced all three down to the bare minimum clothing. _They were panting, their sweat soaked bare chests heaving, catching the afternoon sunlight just right; it was becoming more distracting than normal and she almost got caught off guard as her opponent took the opportunity to advance. _

_The next few second after she evaded his attack, happened in slow motion. _

_It was an accident, Sting hadn't meant for the beam to hit Rufus in the face, and he absolutely never intended for the man's mask to go up in smoke (literally). At least Yukino hoped that he hadn't. They all knew that Rufus was an insufferable bastard when the thin barrier was removed, and Sting (as well as everyone else in the guild) loathed the appearance of the darker version of their normally laid back friend. It was only a few moments before his eyes shifted to the deep emerald green that came with his dark persona; the ever present superior grin on his face turned dark and menacing as he advanced on his prey. Sting received a volley of attacks, all aimed at his lower region, in a show of brutality that was reminiscent of the old days in Sabertooth. Not a single word was uttered as the man picked up his smoking hat and headed for the guild. Rufus stopped for a moment as he passed Yukino, a lecherous gleam to his dark eyes that made her mouth go dry; her body responding to the unspoken commands that radiated off of him, even though she was terrified.  
><em>

_Against her will, Yukino found herself moving towards him, ready to give into the silent demand; if it weren't for_ _Dobengal she might have. His speed was impeccable, and the new mask was already placed in Rufus's waiting hand. She hated to think what might have happened if they hadn't gotten the mask back in place so quickly, especially since she was one of the only female mage's that ever hung around the rocky training fields. When his eyes went back to normal she breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately stumbled over to make sure Sting was still breathing.  
><em>

She could only imagine what horrors would have befallen her blonde friend if she happened to get him to agree to take it off, even for a short time. She shivered at the thought as the discussion between the men grew louder.

"She was really able to keep up with you after drinking that much?" Sting folded his arms behind his head, sitting on the side of the pool, his feet making lazy circles in the water. "You're lying, there is no way in hell anyone but you could stand, let alone dance, after polishing off more than three bottles worth of wine."

"If Memory serves, Cana Alberona as well as Bacchus Groh are perfectly capable of doing just that, but that is beside the point. I never expected her to be able to make it to the dance floor, but she did and went three rounds before she was stolen by the Princess herself." There was a hint of pride as he spoke, even if he had been beaten at his own game. It was strange, and Yukino found herself listening more intently to figure out why.

"Damn, so you actually went through with the deal?" Sting let out a low whistle.

"I set the conditions; I had to follow through." Rufus didn't seem nearly as torn up as he should, considering the emergence of his darker nature usually resulted in injuries and damaged properties; he was rather pleased with himself actually and couldn't wait till he found an excuse to visit her again.

"That was incredibly reckless of you." Rouge shook his head as he pushed Frosh around in his little inner tube. "You wear that thing for a reason; you shouldn't just go taking it off because a pretty girl asks you to."

"You did WHAT!?" Yukino couldn't stay out of the conversation any longer. "What the hell were you thinking! Lucy-sama... you could have... please say you..." She was on her feet and across the space between them in the blink of an eye. "Please tell me you didn't hurt her!" She wasn't expecting a sheepish smile to play on his lips, or to find the knowing smirks on Sting's face.

"She seemed fine when we parted ways." Rufus let out a small laugh, remembering Lucy's last few statements. "I might go as far as to say she enjoyed our little exchange." Yukino felt her face burn as Sting slapped the blonde man on the back.

"Way to go, Rufus! I'm almost jealous, man." Yukino rolled her eyes and shuffled back to her lounge chair, taking deep breaths to settle the embarrassment of such a comment. "If you remember any details you have to share."

"The blonde fairy is a piece of work for sure." Dobengal agreed as he joined in the conversation as well. "She's ranked in the top twenty on Sorcerer's 'Mage you want to be your Girlfriend' list this year."

"I still think you were being reckless." Rogue was in the process of getting out of the pool; Frosh stayed behind to play with Lector.

"I think Mr. Doom and Gloom is jealous." Sting teased. "We all know you've had your eye on her for a while now." Rogue growled at his friend's laughter, delivering a swift kick to the back of the man's head. Sting let out a grunt of pain before hitting the water, face first.

"I said stop calling me that!"

"Poor Rogue! I was totally rooting for you, too." Yukino called from her lounge chair.

"**You**, stay out of it." He hissed, but the color on his cheeks confirmed their teasing, and all four of his companions found themselves laughing mercilessly.

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><p>Lucy wondered what she had done to deserve a best friend like Natsu Dragneel; she couldn't recall ever drowning a puppy, and she surely hadn't murdered anyone; not yet at least. Nothing she could name seemed nearly wicked enough to earn her the privilege of having an over protective, nearly jealous, pyromaniac watching her every move with a critical eye. He just had to ambush her in the middle of the guild, when it was packed full of their comrades. Natsu held an accusatory glare as he spoke, his eyes roaming over the still fresh bruises and love bites.<p>

"Who attacked you?" She knew perfectly well that he had the nose of a blood hound, and the night before he was aware of the mixture of scents all over her. She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath to hold back her increasing murderous intent.

"I will only say this one time; I wasn't attacked at all." She was aware that half the guild was watching their little spat, and she was ready to find that hole to curl up in, and wait for death; if only her pride wasn't keeping her rooted to the spot. Lucy refused to feel shamed by her actions; she was a healthy young woman, and the three Sabertooth men she had spend the night entertaining were all worthy of her attention.

"There are bruises ALL over you!" The fire mage argued back. "Bruises don't just happen for no reason." He pointed an accusing finger at one particularly large one on her collarbone.

"I really don't want to have this conversation with you." The blonde woman refused to meet his gaze. "I am a big girl Natsu, and I can handle my own business."

"Why did you smell like the guys from Sabertooth?" She felt a shiver run up her spine at the tone he was using.

"Which one was it?" Evergreen directed her question at Natsu. "She was drinking with three guys in the corner all night."

"Where the hell was I while this was happening?" Natsu turned to Lucy again, his eyes burning with anger.

"Stuffing your face." Lucy hissed, her tone laced with venom. "You didn't even notice I was gone."

"So, which one was it? I absolutely must know!" Evergreen asked again. "My vote is on the quiet one with black hair."

"Juvia knows, it must have been the blonde that she was dancing with!"

"Sting and Rufus are both blonde." Mira pointed out helpfully. "Which one do you mean?"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS!" Lucy screamed at the top of her lungs, forcing the guild into an uncomfortable silence.

"Someone hurt you, Lucy. Do you think I'm going to just let it go?" Natsu growled.

"If you don't, I will never speak to you again." Lucy's voice was low and deadly as she met her best friend's gaze. "Stay out of it." With that the blonde marched all the way back to her apartment.

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><p>Rufus stared at the request board trying to decide which one to take. He ran an hand through his hair, with an exasperated sigh. Nothing over the past month or so had taken him anywhere near Magnolia, and for the first time in a very long time the itch of his darker personality was starting to affect him. Dreams filled with images of a blonde beauty shivering under his finger tips had started to plague his nights. At first it was welcome, even if he wasn't sure if it was his imagination, or the actual memories of what had happened when the darker side had taken over; it was nice to have an idea of what to expect since he was planning to see her as soon as circumstance allowed. As time progressed they became more detailed, little things like the texture of tiny scars under his fingers, had been added. It was getting to the point where it was hard not to just pick up and head to her town for no reason other than to see her again. Maybe he wouldn't even bother to let her take the mask off the next time.<p>

He let a smirk tug at his lips with the thought.

Lucy of Fairy Tail was a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, shut inside a puzzle box; she was absolutely fascinating. No other woman had ever caught the attention of both parts of his personality in equal measure before. Their interactions were short, but she had already proved herself a worthy conversationalist; she could be poised and refined when the occasion called but then turn around and be the one thing that drove his more carnal side absolutely up a wall. Rufus had never found himself craving anything as badly as a visit with the woman.

He was starting to feel like delaying the visit much longer would end with terrible consequences for those around him.

Control was one thing he had prided himself on having in spades, but since his encounter, things had gone down hill. He had already started to feel short tempered with the overly obnoxious man he had to call his guild master, and even though he had no interest, poor little Yukino had been hiding from him for the past two days. Rufus let out another sigh and adjusted his hat; he needed to figure this out before something happened that he would regret.

There must be a way to see her without drawing the attention of the overly protective guild that she belonged to, or maybe he could just march in there and take her. Lucy struck him as the kind of woman who didn't like having her personal affairs out in the open, and he wanted to at least try to respect that. Suddenly an idea popped into his head, there was a perfectly good excuse for him to go to Magnolia, he would just need a little help to make it all work.

Rufus spun on his heel and headed for the absurd throne that Sting had insisted on keeping after their former master's disappearance. Without a word he pulled the other man by the collar up the flight of stairs that lead to his office. Once Rufus had deposited the irate dragon slayer into his chair he took a deep slow breath.

"I need your help."

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><p>Lucy sat at the bar; her mood was decidedly sour as she ignored her female friends.<p>

"I'm telling you it was the one with black hair." Evergreen had never been as engaged in guild gossip as she was at that point. Lucy's mystery man was most definitely the topic of choice for most of the women. "It makes the most sense, since no one saw anything out of the ordinary until we were leaving! I mean he uses shadows; I can't think of a better way to sneak around than that."

"No, Juvia believes it was the one with **long** blonde hair." The blue haired woman demanded, making sure she made the distinction clear. "You saw them dancing, it was more like sophisticated foreplay!"

"Sting seems far more likely." Lucy had enough; it was too much that Erza was joining in. "He's a young and handsome Guild Master, I'm sure he is practiced in the ways of seducing women."

"I've spent more than a month telling you all to drop it, why won't any of you listen?" The Celestial Mage pinched the bridge of her nose fighting off the headache that was starting to bloom behind her eyes.

She had hoped the gossip would tapper off when the evidence faded; she was sorely disappointed.

The severity of the bruising only added fuel to the flames, and nothing she did or said would make them stop trying to guess who the man was that had broken through the blonde's nearly impenetrable walls. It took two weeks for the angry red bite marks to go away completely, but the bruises, especially the ones on her rear were just fading to a soft yellow. She hadn't realized just how rough he had been until she was standing in front of the mirror the next morning, preparing her bath. Lucy had been surprised that she was able to move at all with the state her body, let alone walk away and banter back and forth with him. The memory helped fight against her annoyance, and she let a satisfied smirk pull at the corner of her mouth.

The amorous encounter had left her with a strange and frightening infatuation with a man she barely knew. They had talked, for several hours in fact, but she knew hardly anything that wasn't common knowledge about the mysterious man. She guessed that maybe she didn't need to have a deep understanding for a physical relationship to affect her so intensely. Just the memory of his long fingers ghosting over her flesh made an involuntary shiver course up her legs. She ached for his touch in a way that had never bothered her before.

She was a tom-boy, content with her life full of adventures and loving guild mates. Even so, under the gleam of those molten emeralds she had lost herself entirely. Lucy, who was brought up as a lady, had never felt as fiercely feminine as she did when he had his mouth on her body, devouring her very essence. It was a drug, and after one taste she had become addicted.

The way he said her name played back in her mind every night, over and over. No one had ever gotten under her skin so deeply before, and she found herself excited to run into him again. She knew it was wrong, but she really hoped their paths would cross, sooner rather than later. Lucy wasn't sure how much longer she could survive the wild fire that he had ignited in her, when nothing else seemed to quell the need.

Her smoldering desires were forcing her to think of a way to visit Sabertooth without the masses following (they could finally settle their debate if they tagged along). The last thing she wanted was an audience; no, the next time she saw that man she fully intended to keep him all to herself.

"Lucy, there is a letter for you!" The blonde battled back her heated fantasies to give the light haired bar maid a questioning glare. Who would send her mail to the guild? Everyone she knew would have addressed it to her home.

Mira danced her way to Lucy with the most mischievous smile the blonde had ever seen before and set the envelope down, seal side up.

Smiling at her was the Sabertooth emblem, embedded in red wax. Lucy swallowed hard as she flipped it over and saw her name written in graceful sweeping lines. She could guess who it was from and wasted no more time before popping the seal. Her eyes went wide as she scanned the two page letter. It was detailed, and nearly poetic in nature, flowing from one word to the next. She scanned it three more times before a satisfied smirk lit her face.

"What is that?" Cana inquired over her normal barrel of booze. "Oooooh I know, it's a love letter from your mystery man." Lucy's eyes turned dark as she stared at the brunette, willing her to say one more word on the subject. The card mage had seen Natsu taking a beating from the woman one to many times over the past month to risk being on the receiving end, so she held her hands up in surrender.

"Yukino is coming for a visit." The blonde's lips curled back in a devious smile that showed all her brilliant white teeth.

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><p>Yukino swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, every nerve ending was on high alert as she made the last little stretch of her journey. The heat of summer was even worse in this part of Fiore, at least in the mountain range where the guildhall was nestled she had a very nice breeze, and the guild pool to battle against it. She adjusted the strap of her shoulder bag with a heavy sigh.<p>

_How do I keep getting myself into situations like this?_

She had tried her best not to question why Sting ordered her to make the trip to visit her Celestial Mage friend; even keeping her mouth shut when Rufus was the one to write the letter that said she was coming. She tried not to understand why they had been at the Guild's exit when she said her good byes, ignoring the excitement in their eyes.

However, now she was at her limit.

"Why are you following me?" She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to the three tag-a-longs that she couldn't seem to shake.

"Natsu-san will definitely be at the guild." Sting replied with a smile.

"Gajeel will be there, too." Rogue added, folding his arms over his chest.

"Someone has to make sure these two don't destroy Magnolia." Rufus adjusted his hat, the easy smile on his face gleaming in the mid day sun.

"Someone has to make sure you don't either." Sting shot back, his smile turning lecherous. "Who knows what will happen if you decided to take that thing off again." He pointed to his friends face indicating the mask.

"We will have to see." Rufus only smiled at them, sweeping past the woman who had her mouth hanging open. "Who knows what might happen."

"This isn't going to be pretty is it?" Sting mumbled as he threw an arm over Yukino's shoulder.

"If anyone could handle his dark side, it would be Lucy-sama." Yukino sighed. "That woman is, how do I put this... durable."

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><p>Lucy leaned heavily on the bar top, fully aware that her skirt was covering the bare minimum. She hadn't been this excited in years; to think he would have come up with the solution. It was exhilerating to know that he had wanted to see her too, enough that he had made the arrangements to come to her. Her keys jingled in her pouch as she hummed to herself, swaying her hips back and forth, trying to occupy herself until they arrived. The week had been agonizingly slow, even if she had taken several jobs to keep away from the gossip mill of the guild hall. None of that mattered anymore, today was the day he would be there, and her whole body was trembling with anticipation.<p>

Natsu sat on a table watching Lucy, knowing that she wasn't telling him the whole story; it doesn't take two pages to say "Hey I'm coming for a visit." or to give dates and times. He sifted when the smell of the group of Sabertooth mages drifted through the open windows, and felt his anger spike. Lucy had gotten hurt the last time they had all been together, and he didn't intend to let that happen a second time.

With a small growl he tucked his hands in his pockets and made his way to the second floor; it was the only way he could be certain that he kept watch without letting himself throw a few punches at all three the men who were standing a few feet from the guild. He could already feel the flames rolling in the pit of his stomach, just from the smell of them.

Mira raised a brow at the way Natsu was acting, but she didn't have time to dwell on it as the front doors opened. The light haired Celestial Mage looked exceedingly nervous as she stepped inside, so Mira decided that she was going to do her best to make her feel at home.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Yukino!" Mira called from behind the bar, her bright smile only growing as she noticed the other three coming in behind her. "And company." A dull roar of chattering females broke out as they realized who had accompanied the young woman on her visit. Sting and Rogue both raised an eyebrow as portions of the hushed conversations reached their ears.

"That's interesting." Sting whispered to his friend. "They're arguing over which one of us came to see her; Natsu-san looks pissed about it, too." Rufus took a look in the direction that Sting was discreetly indicating, and could practically see the flames starting to flicker in the man's eyes. Yukino sighed, finally realizing that she was just the cover story to come down here without any questions. She didn't really want to be a part of whatever harebrained plan the three men had devised, but she needed to at least try to get it across to Lucy that she should NEVER let that happen again.

"Be on your best behavior, I really don't want to worry about the council yelling at us again." The light haired woman hissed before moving to where her blonde friend was leaning. Her brilliant smile brought a smile to Yukino's face as well. "It's good to see you again, Lucy-sama." The woman gave her a small hug.

"It's always nice to have a visit from friends." Her smile grew wider as she turned to beckon the three male mages forward. "It's rude to hover in the doorway." She teased before leading the four of them to a table. The fact that their eyes were glued to her short skirt wasn't lost on Cana, who quickly toke up residence on the table with them calling for a round and a barrel from Mira.

"So what brings you all down from your mountain top mansion?" Cana was already red in the face, having gone through several barrels of ale during the day. She gave a sluggish grin as she propped herself on the table at the end of where the others were sitting.

"They were bored, so I said they could tag a long." Yukino answered quickly to keep the cover up.

"Is that so?" Cana raised an eyebrow as she inspected the three men. She wasn't an idiot, and knew men well enough to see the side slanted gazed all three of them were directing at Lucy. "Well then we should make sure they aren't bored while you are visiting, maybe it's time to show them some Fairy Tail hospitality." She directed her comment at Lucy when Mira came with her order.

"What did you have in mind?" Mira was practically sparkling as she quietly sang about pretty babies. Lucy let a wicked smile curl her lips as Cana set her barrel on the ground, untouched.

"Mira, you're going to need to raid the cellar tonight." Mira stopped mumbling and stared at the brunette for a moment. "I'm changing my bet too."


	4. Demonstration for an idiot

**_So are you ready for a twist? Yes there is a twist, it wouldn't be a Chrys Stone fic without a twist! Go ahead and enjoy some deliciousness. _**

**_::Supreme Leader:: is out!_**

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><p><em>"So what brings you all down from your mountain top mansion?" Cana was already red in the face, having gone through several barrels of ale during the day. She gave a sluggish grin as she propped herself on the table at the end of where the others were sitting.<em>

_"They were bored, so I said they could tag a long." Yukino answered quickly to keep the cover up._

_"Is that so?" Cana raised an eyebrow as she inspected the three men. She wasn't an idiot, and knew men well enough to see the side slanted gazes all three of them were directing at Lucy. "Well then we should make sure they aren't bored while you are visiting, maybe it's time to show them some Fairy Tail hospitality." She directed her comment at Lucy when Mira came with her order._

_"What did you have in mind?" Lucy let a wicked smile curl her lips as Cana set her barrel on the ground, untouched._

_Mira was practically sparkling as she quietly sang about pretty babies._

_"Mira, you're going to need to raid the cellar tonight." Mira stopped mumbling and stared at the brunette for a moment. "I'm changing my bet too."_

* * *

><p>"It's a little late in the game for that Cana." Mira chided lightly, suppressing a giggle as the brunette scowled.<p>

"Juvia doesn't mind if Cana changes her bet. Juvia will win in the end, anyway." The Water Mage sank into the seat between the two Celestial Mages, a superior grin plastered to her face.

"Is that a fact?" Cana raised a brow, to which Juvia merely nodded her head. "Mira, mark me down for two thousand jewel on Option four." Cana pulled her purse over and handed the barmaid the amount that she had offered.

"Why are you changing your bet now?" Evergreen called from her perch on the second floor.

"Obvious reasons." Lucy didn't miss the way Cana's gaze drifted to the men of Sabertooth, and just like someone had flipped a light switch in her mind, everything became clear. The blonde visibly bristled, which got the attention of all parties involved.

"My personal life, is not up for bets you LUNATICS!" She growled. "Do words like **personal boundaries** mean absolutely nothing to you people?"

"Oi, Lucy you could just let ash breath settle the score, then there would be nothing to bet on anymore." Gray called from a safe distance.

"What are they talking about?" Sting asked quietly.

"Natsu wants to beat all three of you senseless for reasons he can't say." Cana whispered back, giggling as all three men blanched. Rufus swallowed hard; he was right, storming in and taking the woman would absolutely lead to his death.

"There is no score to be settled, Gray. We've gone over this three dozen times!" Lucy protested, breaking the last bit of Natsu's resolve. He marched down the stairs leaving smoking foot prints in his wake as the flames licked his whole body.

"Bruises don't lie, _Lucy._" He growled as he got closer to his targets.

"I told you to let it go, Natsu!" Lucy quickly moved into the line of fire. "Do you really want me to stop talking to you so desperately that you would refuse to listen?" Her words stopped the irate fire mage in his tracks, his eyes going wide for a moment. "That wasn't a threat, Natsu, it was a promise."

"But, you-" He began to whine.

"Stay out of it or I will NEVER speak to you again." She warned.

"got hurt." The instant the words left his mouth, Natsu wished he could take them back. His flames died as Lucy advanced on her partner; her eyes were narrowed in anger, her posture radiating a vibe that spelled pain if he moved an inch.

"Celestial Mage's don't break promises, push any further and we're done." She punctuated each word with a jab to his chest.

"Lucy there is a peaceful way to settle this." Erza interrupted, getting the blonde's attention. "Prove to him that your injuries weren't sustained in a fight." The hall fell into a heavy silence, waiting to see if their Celestial Mage was pissed off enough to go toe to toe with the red headed demon. A moment passed while Lucy simply stared at her friend, contemplation written all over her pretty face.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Lucy smacked her forehead with a groan. "It would be ten times easier than putting up with his idiocy." The blonde took a deep breath and delved back into thought, trying to decide what the best course of action was to get the message across that bruises can happen without a physical altercation.

"Lucy-sama, what injuries are they talking about? You look perfectly fine to me." Yukino asked innocently. The blonde bit her lip for a second, not wanting to admit that Rufus had been a little extra rough with her, for more reasons than just revealing who her 'lover' was that night.

"I am curious as to how you manged to come home from a birthday celebration that badly bruised, as well." Lucy's eyes went wide as she noticed Master Makarov sitting on the bar with his arms crossed over his chest. "How about you demonstrate for the poor boy so my guild hall stays intact."

"D-d-demonstrate, M-M-Master?" Lucy instantly turned crimson under the curious glares of her guild mates (she was silently glad that there weren't nearly as many in the guild as there had been the day Natsu confronted her). Master Makarov simply smiled and nodded his head in approval. _Great Lucy, how the hell did you get yourself into a mess like this? There has to be a way out of it. Think LUCY dammit, THINK.  
><em>

"Demonstrate what?" Natsu asked, but was ignored.

"I guess I could ask Loke, he wouldn't mind." Lucy thought aloud.

"Big sis will help you out of this jam, just this once." Cana gave an impish grin, as Lucy turned to face the brunette once more. "Since Natsu assumes that these three are responsible, it would be wise to have at least one of them help in your demonstration." Yukino choked on her drink, remembering for the first time the plethora of love bites that had littered Rufus's neck after that night; they had taken at least a week to vanish, and the crescent shaped nail marks on his shoulders had taken two.

"Y-y-y-you're going to d-d-d-do that h-h-h-here?" Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head, her cheeks turning the same shade of red that stained her blonde friend's.

"Right, Lucy is normally shy." Cana tapped her chin for a moment, contemplating what would be the best course of action. "Mira, we need hard liquor, Stat!"

Mira broke out of her little day dream, her eyes sparkling due to the fantasy world she had created. Her reply was short and happy before she went back to singing about babies, very pretty, blonde haired babies.

"What do you need that for?" Natsu never really had a talent for reading the atmosphere. He casually threw his arms behind his head and started walking towards Cana.

"Poor Lucy is about to endure torture for your sake Natsu, at least try to learn something from it." Lisanna sang as she helped Mira bring several bottles and glasses to the table.

"Juvia wishes to participate with Gray-sama as well!" Juvia squirmed in her seat, her eyes trained on Gray (who was trying to make his way to the exit, leaving his pants and shirt behind in his haste).

"If I'm doing this, you better hand over the rum." Lucy sighed, taking the bottle from Lisanna's hand.

"That's the attitude I want to see." Cana chuckled and took a bottle for herself.

"Not complaining here, but what exactly are you asking us to do?" Sting asked, as he watched Lucy slowly drain the bottle.

"Natsu needs to see that there is more than one way to skin a cat." Cana snickered, ignoring the outraged cry from Happy. "He's convinced that she was attacked, and with that nose of his, well, lets just say it isn't a secret that one of you is the culprit. All you have to do is put a bruise or two on her without being violent, and the matter should be cleared up."

"It wouldn't have been this big deal if Lucy could just admit what happened." Evergreen called. "I vote you have the dark haired one do the demonstration, I'm ready to win the bet today."

"It should be Sting." Erza shot the other woman a glare. "It'll be my win, Evergreen."

"Juvia is rooting for Rufus-san!" She gave him a sweet smile as she dragged Gray back into the main area of the hall. "Juvia is certain that it will be Juvia's win."

"So we're all playing our cards, then?" Cana raised a brow, her grin spreading even wider. "You're all wrong, Lucy is a secret deviant and led them all off to play." Lucy choked, sputtering as she tried to recover.

"The hell is wrong with you, Cana?" She growled.

"That, oddly enough, makes sense. The severity of her bruising would be explained by multiple sets of hands. It would also explain why Lucy is being so shy about telling us." Mira pointed out, before going back to singing her baby song.

"Do you really think I'm capable of something like that, Mira?" Lucy was shocked beyond belief.

"From what Evergreen says, you were all over them." Cana teased. "It's not that much of a stretch that you'd make out with more than one."

_So that's all they thought happened, just a really rough make out session?_ Lucy let a small smile curl her lips; she could use this to her advantage, finally she had a plan.

With one final deep breath she walked around the table and stood next to Cana.

"You are conniving and evil." Lucy hissed into her friend's ear before stepping forward. "Normally I wouldn't ask something like this, but I know Natsu won't let it go if I don't follow through now." All three had been watching her intently as she moved over towards them. Lucy leaned in close, knowing that Natsu would be able to hear her if she wasn't as quiet as possible. "Please just play along; if Natsu isn't satisfied, he most likely will take it out on the three of you." She pulled back with a more sultry smile that was aimed at her best friend. "This is a one time thing, so pay attention."

"Are you going to explain what they are going to be doing to you?" Natsu had a confused look on his face.

"Just shut up and watch, idiot." Cana smacked him on the head.

"Come on, we'll move this up stairs, there are couches there." Lucy beckoned, and the small group followed.

Rogue personally would be lying if he said he wasn't going to enjoy this, and he knew that Sting was never one to turn down an opportunity to prove his superiority (especially if it meant he was good at something that Natsu Dragneel wasn't). Rogue exchanged a worried glance with his blonde team mate; they could both tell that Rufus wasn't exactly happy about this idea. The man had never said that he was planning anything more than a visit with the blonde woman; there was no claim staked on her, but the way his eyes were starting to darken could spell trouble for all of them. They both seemed more interested in the little blonde than he had originally thought, and he cursed under his breath knowing just how messy it could get if all three of them decided they wanted to pursue her more seriously.

"I think you should let Rogue go first, guys." Yukino wasn't exactly sure why she had followed the group, maybe it was to make sure Lucy didn't remove Rufus's mask again, or it could be that she was curious to see what was in store for her friend. She knew how Rogue felt towards the blonde woman as well as the reason he did his best to keep his interest in her as quiet as possible. Somehow she hoped that this might help him get over his misgivings, and maybe he could finally express himself in a way that might get Lucy's attention.

"That's a great idea, Yukino." Lucy gave a smile to her friend and moved over to the couch were Sting and Rogue had dropped themselves. Without giving him much of a choice, she put herself between them. "Is that alright with you, Mr. Doom and Gloom." Lucy let out a light laugh as Rogue's cheeks turned pink.

"If I do this, you have to stop calling me that, agreed?" Lucy nodded her head in approval, glad that she had come up with a way to lighten the mood a little bit.

"Less talk more action." Cana ordered as she pushed Natsu into the seat beside her. Lucy watched as Cana's smile grew wider and more cruel before turning back to Rogue.

"All I ask is that you try not to bite hard, sharp teeth tend to leave deeper marks you know." She laughed nervously as the all the dragon slayers smirked, purposefully showing off their elongated canines. "The goal is to get it through Natsu's thick head that there are multiple ways to bruise someone, I want to make sure we all understand that." She looked around at the much smaller crowd who had their eyes trained on her, then back at Rogue who looked slightly apprehensive.

She took a deep breath, making the decision that she should initiate the contact between them. Slowly she reaching out to brush the long bangs away from his eyes, tucking them behind his ear, before letting both hands cup his face. She hadn't expected herself to suddenly feel heat pooling in her neither region, and she silently cursed herself for it. What kind of harlot was she turning into? The thought only lingered for a moment as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his.

"What the fuck is this?" Natsu growled, but Lucy wasn't paying attention anymore, not when Rogue was kissing her back is the slowest sweetest way she'd ever been kissed before. She didn't have to force herself to react when he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked it lightly. She half wished that she had the foresight to ask him to let his hair down before they had begun, because she couldn't bring herself to speak anymore. She would have loved to reach up and undo the tie, and slowly thread her hands through it, since it was a lot softer than she would have expected.

She let out a small squeal when Rogue pulled her legs over his lap, letting the kiss grow a little wilder as his hands started to move up her back. Half of her mind wanted to thank Cana for this glorious idea, the other half wanted to damn her to hell when Rogue finally pulled away. His mouth started working its way from the corner of her mouth down to the juncture of her throat and shoulder, leaving sweet little kisses in his wake. When he reached a spot he was satisfied with, his tongue darted out to brush the surface, pulling a small moan from the blonde. Lucy had to bite her lip to stay silent as he worked on the soft skin, nibbling and suckling till he left a distinct mark.

To her surprise, when he pulled away she was immediately pulled backward into his partner's lap, settling her ass right between his legs (which meant her heeled feet were now sitting in Rogue's lap). She didn't have a chance to register what had happened before his mouth was devouring hers. His hands were exploring as much skin as he could find, lingering on her thighs and the small of her back a little longer than the others.

She was left completely breathless as he trailed searing hot kisses down the opposite side of her neck, not stopping until he was nestled in the soft flesh of her chest. Sting wasn't nearly as gentle as Rogue; he pulled a generous amount of her chest into his mouth forcing a gasp out of Lucy when his teeth scrapped against her skin. Reflex made her bring her hands up to thread through his spiked hair, as she bit her lip to fight off the need to make sounds that had no business filling the guild hall. When he was satisfied with the deep purple mark he kissed and nipped at her neck again before covering her lips with his again. Sting's tongue was roughly shoved into her mouth, his hands roaming up and down her sides.

"You are still sitting in a public place you moron." Yukino snapped, forcing Sting to pull away.

Lucy took advantage of the momentary distraction to break out of his loose hold and get to her feet. Her excitement spiked when she looked at Rufus, instantly noticing the way his eye had changed color even though his mask was still in place. Without giving it much thought she moved over and placed herself on the table in front of him. She knew that if she allowed too much contact, she might not be able to stop herself from taking him right there, no matter who was watching. Her lips curled into a teasing smile as she reached over and took his hat from his head and placed it on her own, his response was a playful grin. He didn't waste time as his hands worked up from her ankles to her thighs, causing her to shiver. In the blink of an eye he had her legs spread, and pulled her into his lap, her inner thighs kissing his hips. His mouth worked against hers, as his hands stayed wrapped around her thighs, tightening as she let her hands push the two loose strands of his bangs behind his ears. Lucy threaded her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer as his hands slide up her back side, disappearing under the fabric of her short skirt. It wasn't long before their tongues were battling against each other, small moans and gasps escaping the blonde who was no longer fighting against them.

"Blonde haired hazel eyed babies!" Mira's voice broke Lucy out of her frenzy of kisses. She pulled back, trying to catch her breath before attempting to break away from Rufus's grip, she had to whisper in his ear that they would pick it up later before he would let go. As a small reward she lean back in and nipped his ear lobe before she forced her body to listen to her again. The throbbing appendage pressed against her damp panties wasn't helping her endeavor at all.

Her knees were a little weak but she finally managed to get to her feet and walked over to her best friend who had wide eyes. She turned, and lifted her skirt just a little so he could see the start of deep bruises that lined her thighs and ass cheeks.

"See, no one attacked me." She let her skirt down and turned to see Natsu with the deepest blush she had ever seen on him before. "Now will you drop it?"

"Pretty pretty babies!" Mira had started to sing again. "I'm going to be auntie in no time, with all the pretty babies to spoil." Cana cleared her throat, and moved to stand next to her young friend.

"I underestimated you, good work." She patted Lucy on the back roughly. Lucy couldn't bring herself to comment as she struggled to fight the urge to pounce on all three of them again.

"Well I guess that explains it." Natsu finally choked out, his voice a little higher than usual. "I-I think I'm going to head out now." He scrambled out of his chair, and stumbled down the stairs.

"So who won the bet, I can't tell." Evergreen had come over, leaving the rest of the Thunder Legion gaping with red cheeks. Laxus was pretending he didn't care, but his red ears completely gave away his embarrassment.

"Isn't it obvious that I did." Cana let irritation seep into her voice.

"I told you that my personal life is not open for bets." Lucy finally managed to tear her attention away from her fantasies long enough to glare at the two women. "This had nothing to do with your lunacy, it was to keep Natsu from killing my friends."

"That was generous of you." Cana teased.

"Our innocent little Lucy." The blonde hadn't even noticed the tiny Master sitting on the banister until then, he was battling between crying and cleaning up a nose bleed.

"Lucy-sama, can we go for a little walk?" Yukino cleared her throat, to get her friend's attention.

"I guess so." She gave the other woman a small smile before turning back to Cana. "You said you wanted to keep them from getting bored, so get to work."

"Who could get bored with you around?" Cana snickered as Lucy smacked her upside the head.

"Come on Yukino." The two celestial spirit mages walked back down the stairs arm in arm, once they were out of ear shot Sting let out a laugh.

"So are you still denying that you're interest in her?" Sting turned to Rogue with a smirk.

"What about you? That wasn't just a friendly little nip." Rogue shot back angrily.

"You two are braver than I thought." They both involuntarily flinched at the tone in Rufus's voice.

"Fair game, man." Sting turned his smirk on the other man. "I've been patient because of Rogue, but now the gloves are coming off."

"Are you seriously fighting over a girl?" Cana snickered with her arms folded over her chest. Her question was greeted with three stern voices that claimed they were. "I don't think anyone is going to be bored today." She leaned forward with a grin.

Lucy settled into a lounge chair as she waited for Yukino to gather her thoughts. The poor thing was stuttering as she tried to explain herself, her cheeks flaming brilliant crimson. Lucy was pretty sure she knew what this was about, but she wanted to give the other woman a fair shot to get her concerns out on her own. Two minutes of stuttering seemed cruel, so Lucy finally spoke up.

"It's about the mask right?" She asked softly.

"You can't do that again!" Yukino rushed over, grabbing her friend's hands in her own. "Please, dear god never do that again."

"I don't see why your so upset." Lucy tilted her head with a comfortable smile. "A little bruising isn't new for me."

"You don't understand the reason he wears it, it's like he's a different person when he takes it off Lucy-sama. He nearly killed Sting the last time it happened by accident." Lucy pulled her hands out of Yukino's grip and patted her head.

"I figured that out for myself, and I'm sure Sting did something to warrant getting a beating." Yukino's gaze shifted to the side, he kind of did, but that was besides the point. "I'm a big girl Yukino, I can handle it." With that she twirled, letting the long fluffy feather tickle the bare portion of her midsection. "More importantly I managed to steal his hat!"

"Lucy-sama this is serious." Yukino wasn't sure what to make of the blonde's actions, she was even slightly embarrassed for her friend.

"I know, I've been thinking about it since I saw pictures of Gray with it on." Lucy giggled. "He is so not getting it back." She stopped twirling and struck a serious pose. "It's looks good on me right?"

"Lets just go back in." Yukino sighed, there was no getting through to Lucy, she had her mind made up already.

"Alright, but you didn't tell me if it looks good." Lucy whined.

"It looks better on you." Yukino laughed at Lucy's little cheer of victory.

* * *

><p><strong>Next week we'll see what else Cana is planning!<strong>


	5. Out the back door

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><p>Natsu took several deep calming breaths before he tried to enter the guild again. He was struggling with the idea of what the scene he had just witnessed meant. Lucy was Lucy, his partner in crime (often times literally) and there was no doubt that he knew her better than most other people. How the hell had he missed something like <strong>that<strong> happening. Contrary to popular belief he wasn't a complete idiot; he would admit that he was slower on the uptake, but he certainly wasn't blind.

Lucy was never really involved with anyone; she's been on a date or two from what he could recall, but she was never _involved. _Natsu would remember something like that happening. The Lucy he had just seen was nothing like the girl he knew. The Lucy that was his best friend would never allow anyone to touch her like that, or would she? Did he completely miss something? Did this part of her personality always exist, and he was just ignoring it? He felt a small prick of something he wanted to name betrayal, but that would be associated with relationship and he had no such claim to the blonde woman.

Lucy's life was her's to live, and she could spend her time with whom ever she chose.

Still, it completely baffled Natsu that she would choose those particular three, out of every guy that had ever hit on her.

A sigh slipped out as he ran his hands through his hair, he wasn't going to let them chase him out of his own guild hall. No, he was going to stick close and make sure that if any of them even tried to hurt her that he would be there to stop it. It was the best plan he could come up with, even if the thought made him extremely uncomfortable.

With two more deep breaths Natsu pushed his way back into the guild hall, stumbling when he found Lucy dancing with Cana on a table, Rufus's hat still on top of her head. Her too short skirt was flitting about as she swayed, and he could see the deep purple bruises that were already starting to rise on her back side. He had to stamp down a fit of rage, reminding himself that she wasn't really hurt. Lucy had enjoyed the process of getting these particular marks on her body.

She was wearing all of her marks as proudly as if she had received them in a hard fought battle.

His stomach rolled at the thought, the prick of betrayal growing larger as his eyes traveled up her body to her chest and neck. Something deep down told Natsu that they were intended as a challenge, a challenge he had no business participating in. He needed to think about something else or he was going to go back on his word to leave the Sabertooth trio alone; so Natsu focused on the others that had gathered around the blonde woman.

Lisanna was enjoying a mug of something as she cheered Lucy and Cana on. Erza was happily enjoying a piece of cake at the end on the table, completely ignoring everything around her. Everyone else seemed to be doing their own thing, acting like it was just another day, and his world had not just flipped on it's access.

Cana looked thoroughly amused as she pulled Yukino up onto the table with the two of them, singing and stamping their feet to a song he vaguely knew. It was not an uncommon sight, but the three men watching his partner was making it hard not to storm over there and force the blonde to go put on more clothing.

He cursed under his breath wishing they would just go back to their own damn guild already.

"Poor little flame brain." Natsu bristled as Gray's arm snaked around his shoulders. "I feel bad for you, really I do."

"And why is that Popsicle?" Gray tightened his grip on Natsu's shoulder.

"You got out classed." Natsu didn't like the sound of that. "I never would have imagined she'd be into all three of them though."

"Juvia is very pleased that Lucy is no longer Juvia's love rival." The water mage butted into the conversation. "Lucy will be happy without Gray-sama!"

"So Juvia, I wanna hear more about that dance, what were you talking about." Natsu decided to completely ignore Gray, while he moved forward to steer the water mage to a table.

"Juvia completely forgot that Erza had knocked Natsu out by that point!" The water mage was extremely excited to get to tell him the tale.

"I got a better view." Evergreen, somehow materialized in the chair next to Juvia. "Lucy was drinking with the group from Sabertooth most of the night, I tried to keep track of her just incase we needed to make a quick exit. After a while Lucy and Rufus passed by, I wanted to laugh, because she seemed to be having a hard time standing."

"Juvia saw Lucy stumble a few time too." Juvia added with a giggle.

"Right, so when they moved to the dance floor I knew something was up. When they started to dance it was like Lucy hadn't had a drop to drink. It was the first time I've though that the title of Heiress suited her perfectly. She was sophisticated and graceful; Princess Hisui even made everyone clear the floor so that they had more room to dance together."

"Juvia thinks that Lucy and Rufus look beautiful together." Juvia was practically sparkling with excitement.

"Don't forget that she is still wearing his hat." Mira's sunny voice chimed in from behind Natsu. "He was the only one to bruise her with his hands right?" Natsu tried not to blush; he put forth a valiant effort, but he fail miserably.

"From what I could tell, yes." Evergreen lifted an eyebrow, curious as to why Mira wanted to know.

"Well I think that Juvia is our winner then." Everyone turned to her with their own questioning glares. She simply pulled out a stack of photos from god-only-knows-where and indicated the different marks. "See the one on her collar and chest don't match, but these here they are exactly the same."

"Mira, why were you taking pictures in the guild's public bath?" Gray didn't want to know, but it needed to be asked.

"I needed proof for the bet!" She sang happily. An instant later her eyes turned to daggers as she stared between Gray and Natsu. "Now leave them alone so I can have pretty blonde haired, hazel eyed babies to spoil." With that she spun, heading back to the bar with her bright smile back in place.

"Juvia thinks Mira is scary." Juvia hoped that the barmaid was satisfied messing around in Lucy's life; she wanted no part in that woman's match making games. Gray was the only one for Juvia, and she would wait till he eventually returned her feelings.

"Yes she is." Gray nodded in agreement, before letting an evil smirk curl his lips. "I want to mess with Lucy, wanna help?"

* * *

><p>Lucy was having the time of her life singing, dancing, and enjoying her bottle of rum.<p>

"Yukino finally shared her delicious treats with me!" She spun the other woman around in a circle giggling like a little girl. "It really isn't fair that you keep all the yummy goodies to yourself."

"Is that what you meant by 'goodies'?" Yukino snickered as she vaguely remembered hugging a bottle of wine when Lucy had said something about being jealous. "I had no idea."

"Yuki-chan needs to share more often." Lucy put the bottle to her lips, only to find it empty. "Cana, give me that." The blonde tossed the empty bottle aside and waited for the fresh one that she had pointed to.

"Nope this one is mine now." Cana popped the top on the bottle Lucy had been pointing to, and started to drain it herself.

"Cana don't drink it!." Lucy whined as she hopped down from the table, her skirt flapping so everyone around her could see the red lace panties that were barely covering her derriere. "I wanted more rum."

"The rum is gone, Lucy." Lisanna started snickering at the look of shock on the blonde's face.

"But why, why is the rum gone, Lisanna?" Yukino placed her own empty bottle on the table with a lopsided grin.

"Yeeeeeees, Lisanna, why is the rum gone?" She sang happily swinging her legs off the side of the table to join Lucy.

"Because you drank it." Lisanna pointed to the bottles.

"That can't be all the rum." Lucy straightened herself, trying to look more menacing.

"You two aren't the only ones drinking, though I must say I'm impressed." Cana pointed the bottle she was holding at the two Celestial Mages. "Our Lucy is full of surprises today."

"Let's play a game!" Juvia called per Gray's instructions.

"Oh, I like games!" Yukino was excitedly bouncing on the balls of her feet, one arm tucked through Lucy's for support.

"A game?" Cana had spun around to look at Gray, knowing something was fishy from how bright red Juvia was. He winked and motioned to Lucy with his chin, and Cana was more than pleased with whatever the two had come up with. "What game should we play."

"Roulette!" Lucy clapped her hands. "I want to play Fairy Roulette!"

"That sounds fun, count me in." Gray put a hand on Juvia's shoulder whispering that this was better than what they had planned.

"Juvia will play, too!"

"Count me out." Lisanna shook her head as she started to gather the empty bottles with a soft smile. "I don't think I can handle anymore today."

"We're back!" The second the sound reached her ears Lucy was running for the door.

"LEVY-Chan!" She promptly knocked the blue haired mage to the ground nuzzling her cheek against her friend's.

"What the hell, Bunny-girl?" Gajeel was knocked backward a few steps with the force Lucy had used to launch into her friend.

"Come play Roulette with us, Levy, Gajeel, pretty please!" Gajeel had caught the distinct smell of the Sabertooth mages on their way in, but he hadn't expect it to be coming from the blonde. His interest was peeked, but he wasn't about to let her know that.

"Why the hell would I want to play a stupid game like that?" Lucy got to her feet, ignoring the fact that Gajeel was inspecting the bit mark on her chest and the hickey on her shoulder.

"If you play, Levy will wear the bunny suit without questions the next three times you ask."

"W-wait, I never agreed to that!" Levy was promptly ignored.

"Do we have a deal?" The blonde was extremely happy when the tall man stopped to actually consider her proposition.

"Three time huh. Fine." Lucy adjusted the hat on her head and fixed her skirt with a small laugh before heading back to the main group.

"Lu-chan I didn't agree to that!" Levy chased after her blonde friend intent on getting out of the deal. Her eyes went wide when she caught up and saw that Lucy had tucked herself between the two Sabertooth dragon slayers, her one leg was casually thrown over Sting's while she played with Rogue's hair (his face was pressed against her throat). "Did I miss something?" She looked around to her friends trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

"You missed a lot." Cana snickered at the wide eyed woman. "Natsu needed a lesson, and Lucy and her friends very graciously offered their services. Apparently she feels like the lesson needs more substance." Levy looked back at the blonde who had switched sides, and was now letting Sting playfully nip at her neck in Rogue's place.

"What the hell did you give her?" Gajeel leaned against a pillar behind the brunette, his red eyes narrowed.

"Nothing special. She drank rum, several bottles in fact."

"That reminds me, we need more rum, Cana." Lucy took a moment to slip out of the two men's grasps to dance over to Rufus. She slipped one leg on either side on his waist, and his hand instantly started working up her backside.

"Lucy-sama is so mean for drinking all the rum." Yukino whined from where she had decided to lay across a table. "I shared my goodies but you drank all the yummy rum."

"You drank it too, Y-U-K-I -chan." Lucy leaned her head into the crook of Rufus's neck, lowering her voice so that only he would be able to hear her. "We'll sneak out the back soon." Lucy let herself enjoy the feeling of his warm lips sliding up the side of her neck till he stopped to nip her earlobe.

"What about the others?" He whispered back.

"Don't worry about them right now." Lucy whispered back. "I have a plan."

"Oi, are we playing or what?" Natsu was fuming again as he tucked himself on the opposite side of their little group, where he could keep a close eye on Lucy and her guests. He watched from a safe distance as Lucy got more and more physical with the memory make mage, fully aware that she was focusing on him more than the other two.

"Mira we need the dare cards for Roulette, shot glasses, water and vodka." Cana called over to the bar. "Last call for participants, and Lucy you need to take a break while we play."

"You're no fun at all." Lucy pulled herself off Rufus's lap after a long slow kiss, moving back to sit between Rouge and Sting once more. She leaned her head on Rogue's shoulder, and tossed her legs over Sting's lap smiling at the rest of her friends as the game was set up between them.

Normally the game would be played with one shot of vodka and the rest water, but this was Fairy Tail, moderation was for whimps. Within six rounds most of the others had passed out, and Lucy decided it was time to put the plan into action. "When I come back, you leave." She whispered to Rufus as she passed by, before giggling and excusing herself to the ladies room.

Once she was safe behind the door, Lucy called Gemini and explained the situation. Gemini took on Lucy's form immediately, expressing how pleased with the plan she was and agreed to do her best. Lucy peered out the rest room door to make sure the coast was clear before sending Gemini Lucy back to the game. Cana would kill her if she ever found out that Lucy had bluffed her way through six rounds in an effort to sober up a little, but she would gladly take the punishment once her visitor left. She ducked back into the bath room and pulled the thin, tall glass from between her breasts and dumped it down the sink. Once she had clean herself up Lucy returned to the hall to wait.

Right on cue Rufus came down the hall, an amused smile curling his lips. "That is a handy skill." Lucy tilted her head to the side with a small smile.

"You need to figure out a way to keep them from noticing you're gone too." Rufus let out a small laugh.

"I have several tricks of my own." He was in front of her now, letting his hand reach out to play with the feather that trailed over her shoulder. "You like my hat, don't you?"

"You aren't getting it back." Her voice was low and sultry, as she dragged him over so that he was pinning her against the wall. "Yukino - says - it - looks - better - on - me." The words were breathless between heated kisses.

A few minutes passed before Lucy forced herself to stop. She needed to move onto the next phase of her plan before Gemini ran out of time. It was risky enough as it was with Mira lurking and Natsu's nose that was trained to find her scent. Lucy used her small adrenaline rush to lead Rufus out the back door, and down the streets of Magnolia as quickly as her feet would carry her. It was the fastest she had ever made the trip from the guild hall to her home.

Lucy took the stairs two at a time, fighting with her key ring on the way up.

The second the door was locked behind her, Lucy was lifted and pressed against it, his mouth covering hers as his tongue forced it's way inside. Her legs wrapped around Rufus's waist as she worked on the buttons of his jacket, forcing him to break the kiss. His mouth worked over the skin where his competitors had brazenly tasted her flesh, nipping and suckling the marks they had left behind. Rufus was starting to get the feeling that she was playing with the other two on purpose, possibly to egg on the little misguided rivalry, or possibly to sustain the secrecy of personal affairs.

Whatever drove it didn't matter; she was already trembling under his fingers, craving him as much as he craved her. The battle between the three of them was officially a moot point, and he would simply have to punish the two brats for thinking they ever stood a chance with his dark side's obsession.

Rufus decided that he had endured enough torture due to the woman's whims, so he worked his way across the room.

They crashed onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and hot kisses, hands working to remove the barriers between them as quickly as possible. The rustle of clothing and heavy breathing filling the large room, as their belongings were tossed to the floor. Once the task was complete, Rufus reached over the side of the bed, intent on replacing a singular article of clothing that had been lost in the tussle; he placed it back on the blonde woman and pulled back to admire how it looked on her.

She was even more stunning with his hat perched atop her golden locks. With the mask in place he was fully able to drink in the beauty of her naked frame, illuminated by the moonlight shining through her curtains.

Lucy wasn't a fairy, she was a goddess, the perfect cross between Venus and Diana. She was beauty personified all full of curves with soft supple skin that begged to be devoured, yet littered with thin nearly invisible scars that were the proof that she had the heart of a warrior. She was intelligent, charismatic, and more than anything else she was proud.

The feel of her soft skin brushing against his thighs was dangerously alluring, and Rufus found himself craving the sensations that his whispered memories of their first encounter had provided. One more long sweep over her supple breasts was all it took to give into his body's demands, he had to feel her, every inch of her.

All sense of rational thought danced away on the hot summer breeze drifting through her open window, leaving Lucy with nothing but the savage need to be completely dominated by his wandering finger tips. He ran his palms down her sides, the slightly rough texture of finely calloused skin skimming along every indent and curve her body had to offer. Lucy's back arched into his touch, keenly aware of a mad, pulsing fire building inside her that demanded release. Her thoughts had already turned to their first encounter, intent on comparing how the experience would be with the mask still on his face. She trembled in anticipation as his erection tickled against her inner thigh.

She had already tasted the passion of this man, who possessed wit, charm and divine masculine beauty in spades; who could blame her for craving more?

Lucy craved more than just the touches and kisses, she wanted the feeling of being completely out of control, a slave to his demands. Only Rufus was able to drive her this wild, to bring out the savagery of her primal needs. He was taking his sweet time, stoking the flames in her neither region to the point of a raging inferno, and all she could force herself to do was watch him drive her crazy.

His eyes were gleaming molten emeralds in the dim light, darken with more than just lust. She caught a smirk turn up the edges of his mouth before he leaned in to devour her kiss bruised lips again. A ragged breath struggled past the kiss as his hands caressed the inside of her thighs, moving higher, higher, higher. Lucy couldn't fight the muffled moans as his long fingers worked to memorize **every **inch of her body. Lightning branched out from sensitive bundle of nerves as he took his now slick fingers and works over it. Her hips pressed down into the mattress as she forced herself to add pressure to his touch. Whimpers and sighs join the broken moans as he worked.

Rufus broke the kiss, whispering her name sweet and slow as he pressed his lips to her ear.

Dragging his mouth down licking and nipping; he traced the line of her jaw, the arch of her neck, seeking the pulse point in the hollow of her throat. Her skin was throbbing against his lips, each wild little twitch sending fresh heat spiraling to his groin. His hot breath had her quivering all the way down to her full lashes as he continued down, letting his tongue carve a path between her bountiful breasts. Every surface he covered pulled a new and more lovely sound from her, and he allowed himself to memorize each one as they reached his ears.

"S-S-Stop teasing me, Rufus." Her voice was lush and smoky with her increasing need, the hot liquid burning between her legs begging for more attention than his deft fingers could offer.

Her big brown eyes were squeezed tightly shut, as she bit her lip to keep the next moan quiet. Her plea only served to stoke the already smoldering desires that had been lurking just beneath the surface. Hours of torture had him fighting to keep himself from tearing the little bit of clothing she had been wearing off and taking her right there. It absolutely would have been justified, the sexual little sylph had been practically begging for it the whole time, quietly letting him know it was what she wanted.

He couldn't do it though, not after she went through so much trouble to keep their encounter a secret from her guild mates. There was no reason to deny her at this point though, he had her all to himself, completely naked and begging for him. God she was beautiful. Rufus let his hands travel back to her hips, palms lightly grazing her thighs, his finger tips ghosting over the surface of her lower stomach. She willingly let her knees fall to the sides as his erection tickled the bundle of sensitive nerves, dragging the sweetest moan he had ever heard passed her lips.

He didn't hesitated once he was lined up to her entrance, thrusting his thick blade of flesh into the velvet sheath of the goddess beneath him. Her eyes flew open, her breath rasping back into her lungs harshly as he filled her insides. Pride radiated through his chest at the sight of her already sweat sheened bust heaving as she tried to regain enough oxygen to think properly. He wouldn't allow that; she needed to be breathless completely at his mercy. His name trailed off into a throaty moan as he began a series of probing thrusts, slow and steady so he could fully match the memories to the shadows in his dreams.

Lucy couldn't help it, she needed more. She had waited over a month just to see him, and now that he was there, towering over her, pulsing inside of her; she want the sense of sweet oblivion that she had only found in his arms. She reached up, threading her fingers through his long golden tresses to pull him into another heated kiss. The strange and frightening infatuation that she had discovered was only increasing with the pace his body had adopted. Each new thrust was faster and more demanding as he forced her to release his lips in order to breathe. Rufus's mouth began devouring her beasts once more, as he drove Lucy straight into the madness right before bliss.

"Right there." She moaned as his angle shifted, hitting a particularly sweet spot. "God that's so good."

Her praise sparked his ego again, and his darker instincts began to push their way to the surface. They demanded that he forced his name out of her, over and over again. He couldn't deny that he wanted to hear her say it again either, so he slowed his pace and pulled her arms away from his hair. He unsuccessfully fought against a laugh at the look of disapproval she was giving him, complete with her full bottom lip jutting out in an adorably sexy pout.

"I'm not done with you yet, turn around." He sat back on his heels and waited for her to follow his instructions. This was the position his mind had lingered on in his dreams, he wanted to experience it in his own way, with all of his senses intact. He let a smile curl his lip as she looked over her shoulder, irritation lacing her big brown eyes. He didn't make her wait any longer, as he worked to appease the appetite that his dark side let seep through the barrier.

Lucy was panting as his hands unlocked from her hips to trail up her body again. She let her head fall into the pillow as they reached her breasts, muffling the groan that his rough palms passing over her sensitive nipples pulled from her throat. The erotic sound of flesh against flesh mixed with the scent of their mingling bodies sent waves of need all the way to her toes.

She had to find her release, she needed it now.

"Harder." She demanded, as she lifted her head from the pillow.

Rufus did as she wanted, using his knees to push hers out a little further before bringing his hands back to brace himself as his his hips snapped against her backside with more force than before. She cried out his name with every thrust, not bothering to muffle the sound any longer. It was the most addictive sound he had ever heard, gravely and full of lust. His name was the only name he ever wanted to hear in this tone, from this goddess.

"Don't - stop - Rufus." She panted thickly, her back arching as her legs moved in an attempt to wrap around his for more support. "Almost - I'm - almost." Her words were cut off as Rufus leaned in to cover her mouth with his, pushing her top half into the mattress as he worked to pick up his speed even more. She moaned against his mouth as he slipped his tongue in.

He was just as close to the end as she was, and it was getting harder to force her over the edge first.

He groaned, pulling away from her mouth as her body started to tense around him. Little whimpers of harder and faster spilled from the woman under him as he worked against her more insistently. Heat flared though him again as the head of his erection met with the tense wall of slick flesh that was almost ready to give way to her orgasm. He bit his lower lip focusing on his own breath as he worker to force her over the edge.

Her body was shaking with tremors under his finger tips. A shower of sparks seemed to scorch her skin as she arched her back into the pleasure of the spot he was thrusting against. Her eyes widened as a cry ripped out of her with such force she was certain her land lady could hear. Her entire body shook as hot liquid cascade down her thighs, pulsing along with the groans of her lover. She felt him swell inside her, as he choked out her name. His knees gave out under the exhaustion, forcing him to let himself roll to the side so he wouldn't crush her under his weight.

They collapsed on the bed ignoring the mess of it all while they tried to regain their breath.

A few minutes passed before Lucy found her voice again.

"That was better than the first time." Her voice was light with exhaustion, but she managed a laugh as she rolled to face Rufus.

"Well that is comforting to know." He teased back, running the back of his hand down her cheek.

"Next time I'll come to Sabertooth." Her comment brought up a whole new line of thought for Rufus, ones that had come during the throws of passion. He gave it some time to swirl around before he decided he needed to voice his opinion.

"I would like to make this a more regular occurrence." Lucy stared for a moment, turning over the statement in her head a few times.

"How often are you thinking?" She decided to test the waters just in case something was getting lost in translation.

"As often as possible." His voice had softened considerably, yet his eyes stayed serious. "I would very much like to make this a monogamous relationship."

"May I ask why? I mean you could have the pick of the litter, why chose me?" Lucy had pushed herself up on her elbows so she could get a better view of his face.

"My dear, _you_ are the pick of the litter." He reached a hand out to brush her hair over her shoulder. "Can you blame me for wanting you all to myself?"

* * *

><p><strong>And that's it for this week! Next week will be the conclusion of this fic. I really hope you all loved it as much as I loved writing it.<br>**


	6. A New Adventure

_"I would like to make this a more regular occurrence." Lucy stared for a moment, turning over the statement in her head a few times._

_"How often are you thinking?" She decided to test the waters just in case something was getting lost in translation._

_"As often as possible." His voice had softened considerably, yet his eyes stayed serious. "I would very much like to make this a monogamous relationship."_

_"May I ask why? I mean you could have the pick of the litter, why choose me?" Lucy had pushed herself up on her elbows so she could get a better view of his face._

_"My dear, you are the pick of the litter." He reached a hand out to brush her hair over her shoulder. "Can you blame me for wanting you all to myself?"_

* * *

><p>Lucy took a moment to study his response to her question, heat rising in her cheeks at the easy smile he was directing at her. The sincerity in his emerald eyes was mixed with a warmth from emotions that had never been directed at her before. Her mind was set on the fact that a chance encounter had lead to this, an impossible situation born out of pure luck and copious amounts of wine (god love the man who created the substance). Fear crept up from the back of her mind whispering that something was off, that this was too easy, and that he was far to much of a risk.<p>

Could she handle a long distance relationship?

Was it worth the effort when she barely knew anything about the man laying naked in her bed?

Were there other women with whom he had this arrangement prior to her?

Did any of that matter?

How was he able to set her insides on fire, and make her crave his presence like it was more important than the air she was breathing?

Lucy found herself wanting to show him her world, to share herself on a level deeper than just physical contact. He had gotten under her skin so deeply and now she couldn't imagine it happening any differently. They had all the time in the world to work through the insecurities so long as they both wanted it badly enough.

"Well, when you put it like that, how could I possibly say no." Her words were breathy, as she fought against a wave of happy tears.

Rufus was so pleased with her response that he pulled the woman back into his body, pressing a soft kiss into the top of her golden locks. She was the perfect cure to his brand of madness, and leaving her was going to prove to be an exceptionally difficult task. He worked his way back down to her mouth, leaving a trail of sweet and soft kisses in his wake.

Lucy trembled as he pulled himself up to tower over her a second time, her body was still recovering but as his mouth continued down the line of her jaw the familiar hum of need blared right back to life. Soft gasps and moans filled the room as the intensity of his kisses grew.

"I swear you will never regret this."

* * *

><p>Mira-Jane Strauss had seen a lot of crazy things in her years with Fairy Tail, but she had to admit that it was the first time she had seen a young and handsome Guild Master running around like the world was coming to an end. Sting was absolutely frantic even though he had only woken up a few minutes ago. The string of profanity only made the situation all the more bizarre. It wasn't proper to laugh when the situation seemed to be so serious, but it was far too amusing to keep the giggles at bay.<p>

"Where the hell did he go?" Gray tilted his head as he inspected the spot where Rufus had just disappeared.

"Shit! This is bad!" Sting was pulling at his hair too panicked to focus on the scent trail that was leading into the bowels of the guild. "How the fuck did this happen?"

"Sting, shut up." Rogue growled, his thumb and index finger pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to battle off the effects of the alcohol. "We need to focus."

"What if he goes all psycho and blows up the town?" Sting wailed. "Shit, we have to find him! The fucking damage costs alone will ruin us."

"Stop whining." Rogue smacked the blonde upside the head. "He has no reason to take the damn thing off if she's still here." Rogue pointed to the mass of blonde hair that was sticking up from behind the table.

"Right, you're right." Sting took a deep breath in an attempt to settle his nerves. Once he was calm enough to think clearly again, he inhaled a second time to shift through the different scents in the room.

"Pri Pri, our time is up!" A puff of smoke called from the spot where a passed out Lucy had just been curled up. Mira couldn't hold back a full bodied laugh as Gemi and Mini revealed themselves to the group. "We're going back now!" They sang happily before disappearing.

"Doomed! We are all fucking doomed!" Sting screeched.

"You don't know that. Calm the hell down." Rogue smacked his friend again, even though he was starting to panic himself. "Rufus isn't completely unreasonable, he wouldn't let her take it off again._ (I hope.) _We have to trust his judgement."

"I don't trust his fucking judgement when he's like this! You saw it, the damn thing isn't working properly." Rogue's brilliant red eyes widened as the words sunk in.

"We're... dead, aren't we?" He swallowed hard dropping into a seat. "At least it was worth it."

"Was it really worth it?" Sting groaned as he started to pace back and forth.

"What the hell is going on?" Natsu's eyes narrowed as he looked between the two Sabertooth mages.

"Lucy-sama has a favorite." Yukino giggled, not even bothering to try moving. "I won't have to share any more."

"How long have they been gone?" Rogue was attempting to stay as calm as possible, his question directed at Cana. She was the only one to remain conscious after their game.

"I was fooled by the decoy, haven't even got a clue when the switch happened." She didn't seem concerned at all.

Natsu sniffed the air for a moment trying to figure it all out, but what he discovered wasn't making any sense. "Shit, when did she learn to do that?"

"What's your problem now, ash breath?" Gray was scratching his head, trying to figure out when the two had slipped out of the guild.

"Lucy figured out how to cover her scent." Natsu groaned, smacking his forehead with the heel of his palm. "Damn it, what the hell is she thinking? I need to find her."

As if on cue the front door opened and a pair of laughing blonde's stepped into the hall, hand in hand.

"Then they started fighting with each other, again. I really don't know what I'll do with the two of them, they cost me my rent too often." Lucy was making faces, and throwing her free hand around, exaggerating her point to an extreme. "One hundred thousand jewels right down the drain because they can't stop fighting!"

"The mask is still on; I think we're safe." Sting sank back into his chair, wiping nervous sweat from the back of his neck.

"So you still need at least one more job this month?" Rufus leaned against the bar, a lazy smile pulling the corners of his lips up.

"Provided my team doesn't destroy a town in the process, then yes, one more fair paying job should do the trick." She adjusted her skirt before perching herself on one of the stools. It did not escape Mira's attention that, not only were they both sporting wet hair, but Lucy had a completely different outfit on. "I could probably get away in about a week, is that alright?" Rufus had a thoughtful expression on his face as he tapped his chin.

"I think I can handle a week, but any more than that is too much." Lucy openly laughed, as she reached over to run her fingers through his loose hair.

"I think so too."

Cana looked over at the two blondes, deciding that she needed to investigate. She sauntered across the room intrigued by the conversation. With an eyebrow raised, Cana pulled herself up onto the bar with a fresh bottle of wine in her hands.

"Lucy, its not nice to deceive your friends like that." She let out a small laugh escape as her eyes roamed over the fresh love bites that littered both blondes.

"More importantly how the hell did you manage to cover your scent?" Gray asked from a safe distance; he didn't want to get too close just in case she went postal.

"That's my secret." She sent a wink to the half naked man who was in the process of removing more clothing. "And leave your pants on please."

"Why even bother?" Cana laughed as Gray stopped with his pants half way down his calves, cursing himself as he pulled them back up.

"Privacy?" Lucy shrugged her shoulders letting her hand fall into her lap. "I sometimes like to do things without the gossip mill getting all hyped up."

"So you set up a way to sneak out of the guild, on the spot?" Cana raised a brow. Cana was aware of Lucy's intelligent and fast paced thought process, but even then to trick Natsu's nose was nearly impossible.

"Sure, we'll go with that." Lucy's mouth curled into a smug smile.

"You are chalk full of surprises today, aren't you?" Cana decided that she was satisfied with the blonde's answers, and went back to drinking her wine.

"You have no idea." Rufus gave the brunette a lascivious grin that made the woman choke on her drink.

"You're absolutely sure you have to head back tonight, you just got here?" Lucy decided to drag his attention back to her, when she noticed the way his eyes were starting to darken again. She twirled the feather that was tickling her bust line around her fingers pulling his line of sight away from Cana. "They could always leave without you."

"If I stay, you wouldn't be able to take any jobs for a while." As if to prove his point Lucy was transferred into his lap. "I would rather you handle business first, then we can spend as much time playing as you want."

"I guess you have a point." Lucy giggled as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.

"Of course I do." His finger tips slid up her back slowly, bringing a series of shivers to make the woman squirm in his lap.

"I guess I won't waste any more time. NATSU!" Her sudden call startled her partner, he just stood there frozen like a statue. Lucy turned her head to face him, practically purring when Rufus started working his mouth up her neck. "Come here, already!" Natsu swallowed around the baseball sized lump in his throat as he forced his legs to carry him over to the two blondes.

"W-what do you want?" He was decidedly uncomfortable again, and really wanted to get out of the situation.

"Pick a job, a good one please." She pointed to the board before focusing her attention back onto the man who was driving her up a wall again. She started working soft kisses up his neck, enjoying the feel of the muscles tensing under her lips.

"Well I think we should get going soon." Sting folded his arms behind his neck as he walked over to collect Yukino.

"Go on ahead, I will give the two of you a head start." Sting and Rogue both stopped in their tracks, eyes wide in horror at the deadly tone Rufus had used.

"Go easy on them." Lucy whispered as she nipped at his ear. "They were extremely helpful earlier."

"Fine." He seemed a little disappointed, but with a beauty in his lap working her way back down his neck there wasn't much of an argument that he could bring himself to voice. "I will make this perfectly clear, right here and now. Lucy is off limits from now on, am I clear?"

"Crystal!" They both squeaked.

Sting gathered Yukino, throwing the giggling woman over his shoulder before he and Rogue made a mad dash for the door.

Lucy couldn't help but laugh as they disappeared.

"Juvia, you can collect now." Cana called to the blunette.

"We had that covered hours ago." Mira informed the others. "As Natsu likes to say recently, bruises don't lie." A sweet smile never left her face as she produced the photo evidence for a second time.

"You are really terrifying some times." Cana shook her head as she shifted through the stack.

"Bets are serious business; now let's get you a fresh mug." She tilted her head to indicate that the pair should have a semblance of privacy. Lucy and Rufus had abandoned all pretenses of secrecy at this point having entered a battle of heated kisses during the conversation.

Natsu didn't want to be anywhere near the two, but Lucy needed to know that he had finished picking a job so he simply cleared his throat. He tried three times before he finally gave in and walked closer, the embarrassment coloring his cheeks intensifying. He licked his lips before trying to speak, hoping his voice would be steadier this time around.

"G-got the mission Lucy." He cursed internally, as she simply held out her hand waiting to see what the mission was without breaking the lip lock. He reached out a shaking hand and pressed the request into hers before retreating to pick a fight with someone, anyone at all would do.

"Poor Natsu." Lucy laughed quietly as she read over the sheet of paper in her hand. "This will take three days max."

"Well then you will have to come visit when you get back." Reluctantly Lucy slide off the man's lap.

"You're absolutely sure you can't stay the night?" He hadn't even left yet and already she was pinning for more.

"Yes, unfortunately I am." He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead before turning towards the door. "I look forward to your visit Lucy."

* * *

><p>Six months passed in the blink of an eye, weekly visits were abandoned for every opportunity they could get. Lucy often searched for jobs that would give her an excuse to stop in to visit for at least a night, if not more at times. Over that time, Rufus decided that the red hat didn't suit Lucy's choice of attire so he replaced it with a blue version, along with a white feather. Even with the replacement, Lucy refused to give back the hat she had stolen the night they had become a couple.<p>

She had it placed right next to the box where she hide the letters she frequently wrote to her mother, as a trophy of sorts.

Every time she came home it was there to remind her that she had been chosen, that she was special.

* * *

><p>After a year Lucy had a fair amount of her wardrobe stashed in Rufus's closet. She spent less and less time in Magnolia Town, but it was still enough to maintain her apartment. They attended events together, even sponsored a few to promote guild relations together. They had even topped Sorcerer Weekly's power couple list for for forty weeks running.<p>

The relationship was hard, but satisfying, and they rarely ever had occasion to fight.

That was until Lucy's nomination for the S-class promotions.

Rufus didn't want to take the chance that Lucy would disappear for another seven years, even if the chances of that happening were minuet. Lucy argued that it was an honor to be nominated, and there was no way that she would ever back down.

It was the worst fight they had ever had, and Lucy found herself unable to speak to him for two whole weeks.

When they finally did, Lucy ended up spending a full month where Rufus won't let her out of his sight. He even insisted on taking jobs with her even if it wasn't exactly something that was practiced often. He argued with both Guild Masters that their relationship was far more important than the guide lines of guild procedures, and to make it more beneficial he added that it was in the interest of both guilds. Things had been getting more and more dangerous with threats to high ranking officials and the time for the guilds to come together to work as a whole was more than likely right around the corner.

* * *

><p>Two years, it had been two years since the day Lucy's life had chanced, and now it was changing again.<p>

Lucy could only stare at the place she had come to call home with a sense of sadness.

It wasn't fair that the council used them as their scapegoat, disbanding the guild over a conflict that Fairy Tail had given so much to overcome already.

Many hardships fell over their wonderful guilds, wars had been fought and won at the expense of several lives.

Cities were destroyed and rebuilt, foes became friends and yet life never ceased moving forward.

Hadn't they proved time and time again that they were the most capable guild when it came to taking down enemies that the Council itself couldn't even touch?

Tears pricked her eyes as she watched Master Makarov close up the guild doors, and Erza hammer in the nails of a plank that said 'Do Not Enter'.

"Listen up brats, even if the Council has disbanded us, we are still Fairy Tail Mages. Never let that go, wear your emblems proudly and move on into the future. Live your lives to the fullest, and do what you feel is right." Even if the old man's words were filled with strength and conviction, the tears rolling down his cheeks broke Lucy's heart. "Now get out of here." Mira gave him a tight hug, silent tears racking her own body.

Words failed the blonde woman as she stared down at the guild mark on her hand.

"Well at least we know where you're going." Cana adjusted the bag that settled on her hip. "Sabertooth just got a little more badass."

"I guess you're right." Lucy gave the smallest of smiles, leaving her left hand tucked tightly into her pocket. "I never would have even considered it before this though."

"Don't worry Lu-chan, we are mages, we need to work to get paid. It's only natural that you would join another guild." She sighed. "I need to start thinking about that myself."

"I think I'm going to travel, see if I can't catch up with my dad." Cana didn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea, but Lucy smiled and patted her shoulder anyway.

"I bet Gildarts would love to spend getting to know you better."

"So Lucy, are you going to tell us what you're hiding before we all set off?" Mira raised an eyebrow at the younger woman as she approached.

"Cana hit it on the head already, I'm heading to Sabertooth." Lucy gave a warm smile to her female friends. "I really hope we all stay in touch."

Slowly she made her way back to the apartment that she rented on Strawberry street, a pit in her stomach as she thought about talking to her land lady for the last time. Lucy was going to miss Magnolia, along with all the memories that the city held of her days of adventure and the friends that were more like family.

She handed the woman her key along with the last month's rent.

All of her things had already been magically transported so all that was left was the trip.

She smiled down at the ring on her left ring finger, as she pulled her travel bag along the cobbled street.

An era had ended, and it was time to start a new kind of adventure.

**The End!**


End file.
